Abstract
Table olives can suffer different types of spoilage during fermentation. In this work, a multi-statistical approach (standard and compositional data analysis) was used for the study of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with altered (butyric, sulfidic, and putrid) and non-altered (normal) Manzanilla Spanish-style table olive fermentations. Samples were collected from two industrial fermentation yards in Seville (Spain) in the 2019/2020 season. The VOC profiles of altered (n = 4) and non-altered (n = 6) samples were obtained by headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Ninety-one VOCs were identified and grouped into alcohols (30), esters (21), carbonyl compounds (12), acids (10), terpenes (6), phenols (6), sulfur compounds (2), and others (4). The association of the VOCs with spoilage samples depended on the standard or compositional statistical methodology used. However, butyric spoilage was strongly linked by several techniques to methyl butanoate, ethyl butanoate, and butanoic acid; sulfidic spoilage with 2-propyl-1-pentanol, dimethyl sulfide, methanol, 2-methylbutanal, 2-methyl-2-butenal, ethanol, 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol, and isopentanol, while putrid was mainly related to D-limonene and 2-pentanol. Our data contribute to a better characterisation of non-zapatera spoiled table olive fermentations and show the convenience of using diverse statistical techniques for a most robust selection of spoilage VOC markers.
Highlights
The use of olive fruit as fermented food is an old tradition in the Mediterranean basin, which later expanded worldwide [1]
The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) profiles of altered (n = 4) and non-altered (n = 6) samples were obtained by headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS)
This work aims to identify the VOCs related to the non-zapatera table olive spoilage, such as butyric, sulfidic, and putrid, which could be used as potential spoilage markers
Summary
The use of olive fruit as fermented food is an old tradition in the Mediterranean basin, which later expanded worldwide [1]. The current total production of table olives is slightly above 3.106 tonnes/year, with the EU (30%) as the leading producer. The most demanded trade preparation is Spanish-style. The process consists of lye treatment, washing, and further lactic acid fermentation, leading to products with a pleasant fruity flavor and appropriate mechanical characteristics for pitting, stuffing, or slicing [2]. The only quality criterion is that fermented olives should have normal colour, flavour, and texture [2]. Such concepts have never been formally defined
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