Isotopic Traceability (13C and 18O) of Greek Olive Oil.

Petros Karalis,Elissavet Dotsika,Theodora Nikou,Maria Tassi,Charalampos Proestos,Effie Tsakalidou,Sofia Gougoura,Anastasia Elektra Poutouki,Maria Halabalaki,George Diamantopoulos

doi:10.3390/molecules25245816

Abstract

In recent years, isotopic analysis has been proven a valuable tool for the determination of the origin of various materials. In this article, we studied the 18O and 13C isotopic values of 210 olive oil samples that were originated from different regions in Greece in order to verify how these values are affected by the climate regime. We observed that the δ18O isotopic values range from 19.2 ‰ to 25.2 ‰ and the δ13C values range from −32.7 ‰ to −28.3 ‰. These differences between the olive oils’ isotopic values depended on the regional temperature, the meteoric water, and the distance from the sea. Furthermore, we studied the 13C isotopic values of biophenolic extracts, and we observed that they have same capability to differentiate the geographic origin. Finally, we compared the isotopic values of Greek olive oils with samples from Italy, and we concluded that there is a great dependence of oxygen isotopes on the climatic characteristics of the different geographical areas.

Highlights

Olive tree is one of the first fruit trees that were cultivated by humans, both as edible fruit and for oil production
The European Union (EU) has proposed two regulations (European Community (EC), No 2081/91 and 2082/91—Denomination of Protect Origin) in order to guarantee the authenticity of virgin olive oil
A total of 210 extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) samples were collected from six different olive oil geographical regions of Greece during the harvesting period 2015–2016

Summary

Introduction

Olive tree is one of the first fruit trees that were cultivated by humans, both as edible fruit and for oil production. Olive oil is one the main ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, as it prevails over the other edible oils due to its nutritional value and sensorial quality (taste, flavor). There is high demand for olive oil, and if this is combined with the high cost of production, it leads to adulteration practices, i.e., by mixing it with lower-quality oils. The European Union (EU) has proposed two regulations (European Community (EC), No 2081/91 and 2082/91—Denomination of Protect Origin) in order to guarantee the authenticity of virgin olive oil. These regulations for guaranteeing virgin olive oils that are applied in the EU are known as TSG (Traditional Specialty Guaranteed), PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), and PGI

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Conclusion