Discrimination of Olive Oils and Fruits into Cultivars and Maturity Stages Based on Phenolic and Volatile Compounds

Abstract

Olive oil and fruit samples from six cultivars sampled at four different maturity stages were discriminated into cultivars and maturity stages. The variables-volatile and phenolic compounds-that significantly (p < 0.01) discriminated cultivars and maturity stage groups were identified. Separation by stepwise linear discriminant analysis revealed that Manzanilla olive cultivar was separated from cultivars Leccino, Barnea, Mission, Corregiola, and Paragon, whereas cultivars Corregiola and Paragon formed a cluster. The volatile compounds hexanol, hexanal, and 1-penten-3-ol were responsible for the discrimination of cultivars. All maturity stages were discriminated, with the separation of early stages attributed to oil phenolic compounds, tyrosol and oleuropein derivatives, whereas the volatile compounds (E)-2-hexenal, hexanol, 1-penten-3-ol, and (Z)-2-penten-3-ol characterized the separation of all maturity stages and in particular the late stages. Hexanol and 1-penten-3-ol characterized the separation of both cultivars and maturity stages.