Volatile compounds of Algerian extra-virgin olive oils: Effects of cultivar and ripening stage

Maya Cherfaoui,Teresa Cecchi,Sonia Keciri,Lilya Boudriche

doi:10.1080/10942912.2018.1437627

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe distinctive extra-virgin olive oil aroma consists of a complex mixture of volatile compounds. We comparatively studied the volatiles of eight autochthonous monovarietal extra-virgin olive oils from the north-east part of Algeria via headspace solid-phase microextraction GC-MS. We determined the effect of ripening of Chemlal olive fruit on aroma compounds. Twenty volatile analytes belonging to different chemical classes were identified and quantified. Both quantitative and qualitative differences were found among cultivars, indicating a close dependence of the composition of the volatile profile on the enzymatic pool, directly related to genetic characteristics. Moreover, differences in volatiles composition were observed for Chemlal oils during maturation.Abbreviations: AAT, alcohol acetyl transferase; E, east; EVOO, extra-virgin olive oil; GC, gas chromatography; HS, headspace; LOX, lipoxygenase; MI, maturity index; MS, mass spectrometry; N, north; PCA, principal component analysis; SD, standard deviation; SPME, solid-phase microextraction technique; VOO, virgin olive oil.

Highlights

Virgin olive oil (VOO), one of the main foods used by people living in Mediterranean countries, is a fruit juice endowed with bioactive ingredients; the original characteristic aroma properties[1] present in VOO are the most significant factors which can shape the quality of the product and affect the consumer’s behaviors toward it.[2]
The volatile compounds were analyzed in monovarietal extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) extracted from Aaleh, Abani, Bouricha Chemlal, Ferkani, Limli, Mekki, and Rougette de Mitidja
Algerian EVOO contained a wide range of concentrations of total volatile compounds (8.06–34.24 mg/L), according to the type of cultivar

Summary

Introduction

Virgin olive oil (VOO), one of the main foods used by people living in Mediterranean countries, is a fruit juice endowed with bioactive ingredients; the original characteristic aroma properties[1] present in VOO are the most significant factors which can shape the quality of the product and affect the consumer’s behaviors toward it.[2]. Other volatile compounds have been reported to be responsible for the unpleasant aroma and odors resulting from olive oil; these compounds can be derived from different mechanisms such as: sugar fermentation, amino acid conversion, enzymatic activities of molds or anaerobic microorganisms, and other auto-oxidative processes.[6]

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Results

Conclusion