Abstract
Aroma profiles, key aroma compound quantification, and cluster analysis of 15 brands of extra-virgin olive oils (EVOOs) from three countries (Spain, Italy, and Greece) were investigated in the current study. Aroma compounds were isolated from the oil by using solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) and analyzed by gas chromatography-olfactometry mass spectrometry (GC-MS/O). A total of 89 compounds were screened by SPME/SAFE-GC-MS/O with chromatographic columns in 15 brands of samples. Eighty and 54 compounds were respectively identified by SPME- and SAFE-GC-MS/O. Of those, 44 compounds were detected by both methods. Undecanol, (Z)-4-decenal, (E)-2-dodecenal, and 2-nonanone extracted by SAFE were not found in EVOOs before. Eight classes of aroma compounds were identified, including 17 alcohols, 22 aldehydes, 9 ketones, 4 acids, 14 esters, 5 aromatics, 12 alkene, and 6 others. Eleven compounds were identified as the key aroma compounds in alternative brands of EVOOs by SAFE-aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). Hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-3-hexenol, acetic acid, and (E)-2-heptenal were the common key aroma compounds by AEDA and odor activity values (OAVs). From the cluster analysis of the heatmap, the aroma compounds of all the Spain EVOOs were similar, and there were some differences from the samples of Italy and Greece. It suggested that both the amount and concentration of aroma compounds determine the similarity of aroma in EVOOs.
Highlights
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a kind of high-grade edible vegetable oil obtained by cold mechanical extraction from fresh olives (Olea europaea) without use of solvents or refining methods [1].It can be consumed in original form without refining, possessing good stability as well as nutritional and healthy features with respect to other vegetable oils [2]
In this study, (1) solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) coupled with aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) was applied to identify the key aroma compounds of 15 brands of EVOO from Spain, Italy, and Greece; (2) the most contributing compounds were quantified by standard curve method using selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode by solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME); (3) the EVOOs were classified based on their volatile compounds
The important aroma compounds in EVOOs are the C6 compounds, which were generated from lipoxygenase pathway through a series of enzymatic acting on fatty acids, such as linoleic and linolenic acids initiated by the tissue disruption [5]
Summary
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a kind of high-grade edible vegetable oil obtained by cold mechanical extraction from fresh olives (Olea europaea) without use of solvents or refining methods [1]. The difference among EVOO brands from different countries was not evaluated previously From this viewpoint, in this study, (1) SAFE coupled with aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) was applied to identify the key aroma compounds of 15 brands of EVOO from Spain, Italy, and Greece; (2) the most contributing compounds were quantified by standard curve method using selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode by SPME; (3) the EVOOs were classified based on their volatile compounds
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