Abstract
<p>Commercial flavoured olive and olive-sunflower oils and seed oils with particular nutritional properties (e.g. linseed, safflower, sunflower, sesame and rice oils) were analysed using a widespread analytical protocol to have information on their quality and chemical composition. The protocol involved traditional determinations (free acidity, peroxide value, UV and VIS spectrophotometric indices, and fatty acid composition) along with <sup>1</sup>H and <sup>13</sup>C NMR analyses. Most of flavoured olive oils turned out to be lampante olive oils and not extra virgin as declared in the label on the bottle. In the case of olive-sunflower oils only a minor fraction of olive oil was revealed although these products are particularly expensive and the presence of olive oil is emphasized on the label. In some seed oils, refinement processes, not indicated on the bottle, were highlighted. Some compounds characteristic of specific seed oils were identified in the <sup>1</sup>H spectra.</p>
Highlights
IntroductionProduction and consumption of flavoured olive oils has been growing for the last 15 years (Antoun & Tsimidou, 1997) and market studies have demonstrated that consumers, especially from not Mediterranean areas, are interested in these products (Antoun & Tsimidou, 1997)
Flavoured edible oils as well as seed oils constitute an interesting sector of vegetable oils market
Seed oils have been present for a long time in market as a low cost alternative to virgin olive oils
Summary
Production and consumption of flavoured olive oils has been growing for the last 15 years (Antoun & Tsimidou, 1997) and market studies have demonstrated that consumers, especially from not Mediterranean areas, are interested in these products (Antoun & Tsimidou, 1997) These oils are generically labelled as “dressing” since they are not subjected to the analytical controls required for olive oils (European Communities [EC], 2003 Regulation No 1989/2003) before their entries on the market. Seed oils have been present for a long time in market as a low cost alternative to virgin olive oils They are mostly produced by solvent extraction and they have to be refined (Italian law, “Salari law”, 27 January 1968- G.U. n.37 12/02/1968). Besides this type of seed oils, recently, a relatively small production of cold pressed seed oils, obtained in a way similar to virgin olive oils, has come out assuming some relevance
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