Implementation of the Sono-Heat-Exchanger in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extraction Process: End-User Validation and Analytical Evaluation.

Lorenzo Cecchi,Filomena Corbo,Gualtiero Milani,Nadia Mulinacci,Maria Lisa Clodoveo,Maria Bellumori

doi:10.3390/molecules24132379

Abstract

The use of innovative systems, such as the heat exchanger, for production of extra virgin olive oil should allow maintenance of the same quality of those oils derived from traditional processes, and presents specific advantages. The performance of this system was evaluated by (i) determining the parameters directly measurable by the olive millers (i.e., end-user validation based on the production yields when the plant is located in different processing lines) and (ii) assessing the product quality through estimation of the content of phenolic and volatile compounds. The phenols were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detector (HPLC–DAD) before and after acidic hydrolysis while the volatile fraction was studied by Head-Space Solid-Phase-Micro-Extraction Gas-Chromatography with Mass Detector (HS–SPME–GC–MS). The use of the sono-heat-exchanger presents several advantages: it is a flexible machine, able to interface with all devices of the world’s leading manufacturers of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) extraction plant, and it guarantees shorter processing times and energy savings. Our results also pointed out its capability to increase the oil yields up to 5.5%, particularly when it extracts oil from unripe fruits, which in traditional processes yield oils with higher phenolic contents, but with lower oil yields. Overall, the quality of virgin olive oils was maintained, avoiding decreases of phenolic content or detrimental effects on the sensory characteristics.

Highlights

The involvement of end-users, namely the olive millers, in the development of innovative mechanical devices is fundamental in order to accelerate the transfer of research results and determine a change to the production system of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) [1]
The aim of the work was to validate the application of ultrasound in the EVOO extraction process in order to ascertain if, when the system prototype is placed in the operational environment, the innovative method is able to increase oil yields, reduce the process time, and guarantee oil quality preservation
It is required that the representative users are involved and the protocol is applied in its representative context of use

Summary

Introduction

The involvement of end-users, namely the olive millers, in the development of innovative mechanical devices is fundamental in order to accelerate the transfer of research results and determine a change to the production system of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) [1]. Only after process qualification has been completed can the manufacturing process begin production for commercial use [2]. Process qualification is the second stage of process validation [3] and concerns the qualification of manufacturing and production processes to confirm they are able to operate at a certain standard during sustained commercial manufacturing. Molecules 2019, 24, 2379 application in the reference-manufacturing context through a validation process. Process qualification of industrial implementation of the sono-heat-exchanger in the EVOO extraction process has been discussed partially in previous papers covering the following aspects of manufacturing: (i) consumption of direct material, (ii) production times [5], (iii) labor [6], job security [7],

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