Quality Attributes and Fatty Acid, Volatile and Sensory Profiles of "Arbequina" hydroSOStainable Olive Oil.

Lucía Sánchez-Rodríguez,Alfonso Moriana,Zvonimir Marijanović,Ángel A Carbonell-Barrachina,Esther Sendra,Francisca Hernández,Mireia Corell,Marina Kranjac,Igor Jerković

doi:10.3390/molecules24112148

Abstract

The use of deficit irrigation techniques on olive orchards is the main trend aiming to optimize water savings while improving functional and sensory characteristics of oils from trees under deficit irrigation techniques. The brand hydroSOStainable has been defined for crops produced under water restriction conditions. HydroSOStainable olive oils obtained under two new regulated deficit irrigation and one sustained deficit irrigation treatments in “Arbequina” olive trees were evaluated by analyzing quality parameters, antioxidant activity, total phenol content, fatty acid profile, volatile compounds, and sensory descriptors. Results showed that some of these irrigation strategies improved the phenol content at “moderate” stress levels, slightly enriched the fatty acid profile (~3.5% increased oleic acid and simultaneously decreased saturated fatty acids), and increased some key volatile compounds and also several key sensory attributes. Therefore, hydroSOStainable olive oil may be more attractive to consumers as it is environmentally friendly, has a higher content of several bioactive compounds, and has improved sensory characteristics as compared to control (fully irrigated) oils.

Highlights

Olive trees were extended all over the Mediterranean countries by eastern civilization
Four irrigation treatments were applied to olive trees with different types of stress following crop water status by measuring midday stem water potential
stress integral (SI) described better the levels of stress reached in the irrigation treatments

Summary

Introduction

Olive trees were extended all over the Mediterranean countries by eastern civilization. Olive trees are nowadays a traditional crop located in the Mediterranean basin, where originally wild olive trees existed. The demand for olive oil experienced a global increase; it was necessary to increase its production using new intensification agronomic techniques [1]; one of these techniques was irrigation. This intensification produced an increase in tree growth and yield without affecting the quality of olive oil [1].

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Conclusion