Abstract
Phenolic compounds are responsible of the nutritional and sensory quality of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The composition of phenolic compounds in EVOO is related to the initial content of phenolic compounds in the olive-fruit tissues and the activity of enzymes acting on these compounds during the industrial process to produce the oil. In this work, the phenolic composition was studied in six major cultivars grown in the same orchard under the same agronomical and environmental conditions in an effort to test the effects of cultivars on phenolic composition in fruits and oils as well as on transfer between matrices. The phenolic fractions were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry. A total of 33 phenolic compounds were determined in the fruit samples and a total of 20 compounds in their corresponding oils. Qualitative and quantitative differences in phenolic composition were found among cultivars in both matrices, as well as regarding the transfer rate of phenolic compounds from fruits to oil. The results also varied according to the different phenolic groups evaluated, with secoiridoids registering the highest transfer rates from fruits to oils. Moreover, wide-ranging differences have been noticed between cultivars for the transfer rates of secoiridoids (4.36%–65.63% of total transfer rate) and for flavonoids (0.18%–0.67% of total transfer rate). ‘Picual’ was the cultivar that transferred secoiridoids to oil at the highest rate, whereas ‘Changlot Real’ was the cultivar that transferred flavonoids at the highest rates instead. Principal-component analysis confirmed a strong genetic effect on the basis of the phenolic profile both in the olive fruits and in the oils.
Highlights
In the Mediterranean area, healthy, nutritional, and sensorial properties of olive oil have been known for many centuries
The phenolic compounds in olive fruits and oil were identified by the interpretation of their UV-Vis and mass spectra provided by HPLC-DAD-TOF-MS and the information previously reported in the literature
A total of 33 phenolic compounds were determined in the fruit samples, and a total of 20 compounds were determined in their correspondent oils
Summary
In the Mediterranean area, healthy, nutritional, and sensorial properties of olive oil have been known for many centuries. Olive oil is considered the main fat source of the Mediterranean diet, and it is appreciated for its characteristics such as: aroma, taste, color, and nutritive properties that are distinguishable from other vegetable oils. The positive effects of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) are likely due to the monounsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio and tocopherols and to polyphenols. Polyphenols strongly affect the sensory properties of EVOO such as the typical bitter and pungent taste [2,3], and contribute to the stability of the oil against autoxidation [4]. The phenolic fraction of olive oil can greatly vary among cultivars [6,14], this aspect has been scarcely studied
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