Protected Designation Of Origin Label Research Articles

A Pre-Trial Study to Identify Species of Origin in Halloumi Cheese Utilising Chemometrics with Near-Infrared and Hyperspectral Imaging Technologies

Halloumi cheese has recently gained a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) indicator, which is related to the place (Cyprus) in which halloumi cheese is made. The PDO label is linked with several requirements, e.g., milk species, quantities, etc.; thus, it is important to study this product regarding authenticity. The utility of using two spectroscopic techniques, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) (400–1000 nm) and conventional near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) (800–2500 nm) were assessed for the discrimination of 17 Cypriot halloumi cheese types, which could be categorized as of cow or goat–sheep origin. The aim of this study was to obtain spectral information for halloumi cheese using other promising infrared and imaging spectroscopic techniques as a comparison to a previously acquired mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy dataset. NIR and HSI are both fast and easy techniques in application, both of which provide significant information in food analysis. Chemometric analysis was crucial for interpreting the spectroscopic data by applying the unsupervised methods: principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The HSI model was found to be based intuitively on the appearance of cheese samples after freeze-drying (e.g., color; yellow/white, and texture; oily/dry), while the NIR grouping of samples was determined to be based on composition, mainly fat, protein and lactose content of the cheese samples. The HSI model returned distinct clusters of the two halloumi cheese types, cow and goat–sheep origin, with one outlier (16/17 accuracy; 94%), while the NIR model proved less accurate (13/17; 76%).

The Spanish Olive Oil with Quality Differentiated by a Protected Designation of Origin

The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), part of the EU’s quality policy for agri-food products, aims to provide consumers with reliable information on the quality of a food, linked to its origin. Olive oil has perceptible qualities derived from its place of production, which create a link between the product and its place of origin, and which can influence consumer preferences. Spain, the world’s leading producer of this vegetable fat, had 29 PDOs at the end of 2020, 25.84% of the EU total for this industry. Based on the arguments drawn from the literature and the information provided by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), this paper first analyses the importance of olive oil with differentiated quality certified by a PDO for the Spanish olive oil industry. Secondly, the t-test is applied to identify positive differences in the income earned by farmers who produce olive oil certified by a PDO. Thirdly, the international competitiveness of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) bearing a PDO label is analysed using the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) index. The evidence confirms that PDO certification adds value to the product and promotes exports. However, the Spanish olive oil industry does not perform well enough to harness the potential offered by this quality label, it as it does not manage to sell all the PDO-certified EVOO. This situation merits further investigation in future studies, and should be taken into account in the design of actions and campaigns organised by institutions involved in the industry. This article contributes to the evaluation of the quality policy for EU agri-food products and examines the recent evolution of the Spanish PDO-certified olive oil industry.

What lies behind the success of Italian GIs products? Questioning tradition in consortia via aggregated conditional efficiency

Firms and territories are considered extremely interrelated, especially approaching the market of agri-food products detaining the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) labels. By aiming at reducing costs and simultaneously exploiting potential benefits, entrepreneurial realities often collaborate through consortia. This aspect takes on a crucial relevance when considering the Italian context, widely known for its high-quality products, the vocation to cooperate, and the high adaptability to insidious locations. In this light, this study assesses the efficiency level of in-the-consortia Italian firms by conditioning for two external factors affecting the input–output process evaluated, i.e. physical riskiness and vocation to cooperate. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) scores are aggregated by using firms’ membership in the consortia as the DEA aggregation criterion. More than 600 firms aggregated in 50 consortia allow for a capillary and locally-based study over the 2011–2020 period. The study signals tips about geographical concentration and proximity since it tests whether tradition and attitude to cooperate motivate the agri-food industry efficiency level, in line with the historical regional background of these organizational forms. Finally, suggestions to exploit the market of certified products are discussed both for policy-makers and practitioners, as well as new opportunities for future research.

Distinct Bacterial Communities in São Jorge Cheese with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

São Jorge cheese is an iconic product of the Azores, produced from raw cow's milk and natural whey starter (NWS). Although it is produced according to Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) specifications, the granting of the PDO label depends crucially on sensory evaluation by trained tasters. The aim of this work was to characterize the bacterial diversity of this cheese using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and to identify the specific microbiota that contributes most to its uniqueness as a PDO by distinguishing the bacterial communities of PDO and non-PDO cheeses. The NWS and curd microbiota was dominated by Streptococcus and Lactococcus, whereas Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc were also present in the core microbiota of the cheese along with these genera. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in bacterial community composition were found between PDO cheese and non-certified cheese; Leuconostoc was found to play the chief role in this regard. Certified cheeses were richer in Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus, but had fewer Streptococcus (p < 0.05). A negative correlation was found between contaminating bacteria, e.g., Staphylococcus and Acinetobacter, and the development of PDO-associated bacteria such as Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus. A reduction in contaminating bacteria was found to be crucial for the development of a bacterial community rich in Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus, thus justifying the PDO seal of quality. This study has helped to clearly distinguish between cheeses with and without PDO based on the composition of the bacterial community. The characterization of the NWS and the cheese microbiota can contribute to a better understanding of the microbial dynamics of this traditional PDO cheese and can help producers interested in maintaining the identity and quality of São Jorge PDO cheese.

Stable isotopic and elemental characteristics with chemometrics for the geographical origin authentication of Dendrobium officinale at two spatial scales

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (D. officinale) is a healthy tea with protected designation of origin labels, which requires of authenticating its geographical origin. Stable isotope ratios of 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C, δ15N, δ2H, and δ18O and 24 element contents of D. officinale in 379 samples from 11 sites in six provinces were compared at two spatial scales: regional scale among the six provinces, and local scale among six sites within Zhejiang province. 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C, and Ca were significantly different only at regional scale, while Fe was different only at the local scale. Combined with chemometric methods such as Linear Discriminant Analysis and Random Forest high accuracies were obtained for the geographical origin authentication at both regional (100%) and local scale (98.81%). Moreover, ranks of variable importance differed between the regional and local scale discrimination. The top ten important variables at the regional scale were Zn, Sr, δ2H, Ba, Mn, δ15N, Cu, 87Sr/86Sr, Nd, Rb, while those at the local scale were Na, δ15N, Cu, δ2H, Zn, Ni, La, Rb, Nd, and Pb. This study established a stable isotope and element fingerprints dataset of D. officinale, provided potential authenticating methods, and revealed different variable importance ranks for the two scales.

Geographical indications in cheese mountain areas: Opportunity or threat to landscape and environmental conservation? The case of Cabrales (Spain)

This paper examines the impact of Geographical Indications in cheese mountain areas, exploring their potential to contribute to landscape and environmental sustainability by drawing on field work and documental evidences from Cabrales (Asturias, NW Spain). The Cabrales mountain, nestled in the Picos de Europa National Park, embraces a millenary culture linked to the elaboration of an intense flavor blue cheese. The commercial success of this cheese motivated, 40 years ago, the creation of the Cabrales Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). From that moment on, the implementation of certain control measures that affect the production process, together with the increase in demand, led to the disappearance of small producers and to the intensification of livestock management practices. Cheese producers took the opportunity that the PDO label gave them, and the PDO provided the context in which cheese production became an effective barrier against the degradation of the rural system. However, nowadays the intensification of livestock management practices constitutes the main threat to landscape and environmental conservation. Therefore, Local administrators and stakeholders should consider the need to reinforce the idea of a product whose quality is linked to environmental and landscape sustainability through the maintenance of the traditional extensive management practices.

Effect of Sustainable Preharvest and Postharvest Techniques on Quality and Storability of High-Acidity ‘Reinette du Canada’ Apple

Consumers are more disposed towards paying price premiums for sustainable food products. This fact is especially important for products with a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) label, such as the high-acidity apple cultivar ‘Reinette du Canada’. However, ‘Reinette du Canada’ apple fruit is affected by two of the main post-harvest disorders in apple cultivars, bitter pit and senescent breakdown. As a means to achieve sustainable production of this high-quality apple cultivar, the effect of a sustainable preharvest technique, summer pruning, in combination with a zero-residue postharvest treatment allowed in organic farming on calcium-related disorders and quality in global terms in this PDO-labelled apple cultivar was assessed during storage. The combination of the two sustainable practices was an effective tool in diminishing senescent breakdown from 43% to 17% and to decrease bitter pit incidence by up to 21% (from 36% to 15%) throughout storage, especially in fruit with high susceptibility to this disorder during storage. Moreover, the overall acceptability was kept high (values of more than 3 on a 5-point scale) when applying this environment-friendly sustainable horticulture practice, which will not only reduce the synthetic pesticide input in the apple agroecosystem, but also contribute to producing fruit with zero residues.

Low-frequency ultrasound as a tool for quality control of soft-bodied raw ewe's milk cheeses

The relationship between the quality attributes and the ultrasound parameters of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) soft-bodied cheeses from “Torta del Casar” and “Queso de la Serena” was studied. Cheese samples were taken from six different dairy industries (three for each PDO) in two different seasons. Ultrasound parameters related to velocity, attenuation and frequency were calculated and correlated with the physico-chemical, microbiological, rheological and sensorial properties of the cheeses. Several ultrasonic parameters showed a high correlation with changes in the physico-chemical, textural and sensorial properties of this product, which were partially associated with microbial activity. Among these, stand out the negative correlation of the sensorial descriptor “firmness” with bulk modulus ( κ ). The predictive models achieved by the multivariate linear regression method (MLR) showed the highest correlation coefficients for firmness by texture compression analysis (TCA) and the sensory descriptor “intensity”, including as the explanatory variables for both models, fast Fourier transform (FFT) frequencies and attenuation parameters. This work highlights the on-line capability of ultrasound for non-destructive quality assessment of this traditional and heterogeneous soft cheese based on the predictive potential of several secondary ultrasonic parameters. • Soft-bodied raw ewe's milk cheeses granted the PDO label were evaluated. • Relationships among cheese quality attributes and ultrasound parameters were studied. • Ultrasonic parameters showed correlations with physico-chemical, textural and sensorial properties. • A predictive model was developed by the multivariate linear regression method. • Ultrasound parameters are useful tools for quality control of soft-bodied cheeses.

Opinion of Croatian consumers on traditional Dalmatian lamb in the process of obtaining a PDO label

The protection of Dalmatian lamb ("Dalmatinska janjetina") with a protected designation of origin label (PDO) is based on the specific quality of meat of Dalmatian pramenka lamb and the traditional lamb breeding method in the geographic area that coincides with the breeding area of Dalmatian pramenka (indigenous Croatian sheep breed). Under the name of "Dalmatinska janjetina", only the meat of lambs of Dalmatian pramenka, bred exclusively in Dalmatia, can be placed on the market. In the process of obtaining a PDO label, which has recently been completed at the Croatian national level and is currently in the process at the EU level, a survey among Croatian consumers (a sample of 1,034 consumers from all over Croatia) was conducted to determine the recognition of this product on the Croatian market, as well as consumer preferences considering similar products from other Croatian regions. The research has shown that Croatian consumers recognize Dalmatian lamb as a traditional, high-quality product. Thus, almost 75 % of the respondents recognize it as a particular type of lamb of better quality than others on the Croatian market. Almost 85 % of the respondents use lamb regardless of type in their diet, but more than 58 % always on special occasions (folk festivals and family celebrations), especially if prepared in the traditional way (lamb on a spit) by which Dalmatia as a region is recognized by more than 85 % of the respondents. The market reputation and connection with the geographic production area are why Croatian consumers rather buy Dalmatian lamb over others.

Can Geographical Indications promote sustainable shellfish farming? The example of Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel mussels

This paper investigates the potential of Geographical Indications to enhance the environmental sustainability of bivalve aquaculture, with a focus on the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) granted to the bouchot mussel of the bay of Mont Saint-Michel (BMSM). First, a retrospective analysis of the PDO application process was carried out to provide insight into specific environmental and regulatory issues facing mussel farming in the BMSM (e.g. common resource management). Second, further assessment relied on a comparative analysis with other public labelling strategies developed by mussel farmers, notably emerging organic certification. This involved setting up an ad-hoc analysis grid to evaluate different dimensions of sustainability, namely economic, environmental and governance. The discussion then addresses the potential of PDO to promote sustainable mussel farming with respect to the current trends in food/mussel labelling in the market and to the increasing demand for environmental preservation in marine and coastal areas. It also emphasises the overlap between different EU labelling schemes that questions their consistency and legibility, particularly for bivalve aquaculture. In conclusion, the system of quality linked to origin has provided an appropriate framework for supporting the implementation of sustainable bouchot mussel farming in the BMSM, thanks to the relevance and inclusiveness of the PDO labelling process and institutional support. Next, to strengthen the legitimacy of the PDO to guarantee the environmental sustainability of farming methods and increase protection on the market, more adaptive management of the PDO label is recommended.

Protected designation of origin as driver of change in goat production systems: Beyond added value

&#x0D; Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) is one of the EU tools for rural development. Most of the literature on this subject is focused on premium prices and consumers’ willingness to pay for local products, since PDO and other labels aim to provide premium incomes for farmers. Our assumption is that PDO drives unexpected changes of farming styles not only related to processing or market strategies but also related to local resources using and to stablishing of different approach to agriculture and food production. We analyzed the PDO Queso Palmero (La Palma cheese) as a case of a dual label system (brand–certification common label) because it gives us the opportunity to compare farmers involved in a PDO scheme with farmers who works outside such systems. We conclude that private brands are more important than common label certification in price formation, but both are complementary, since PDO reinforces farmers’ efforts to improve quality. Beyond premium price, PDO also drives a radical change in farm structures, since it reconnects products to local resources (grazing vs intensification) and redesigns relationships with markets (shortening and diversifying chains and widening product offer). This change is characterized by implementation of new farming strategies in the context of PDO structure that coexist with classical farming strategies closer to intensification, not only in terms of productivity but also in terms of decoupling from local resources and productive and market specialization. Therefore, PDO is a powerful tool for rural development in a wide sense (resilience, empowerment, local capacity and network formation among others) far beyond its narrow remit of promoting economic growth (local or regional). Therefore, the coupling with local resources and the strength of local network and relationships as source of resilience, knowledge and capabilities improvement, have to be included in performance assessment of GIs in order to broaden the appraisal of role in regional development.&#x0D; Highlights&#x0D; &#x0D; PDO as institution is a powerful tool of farm transformation not only a protection structure of collective heritage or asset.&#x0D; Private brand effect on price is larger than common label effect (PDO label).&#x0D; PDO as institution leads radical changes of goat production systems from more production – oriented toward more market – oriented styles.&#x0D; Market chains and product diversification, focusing on quality, concern about consumers and coupling with local resources are distinctive features of farms involved in PDO.&#x0D;

Fine tuning European geographic quality labels, an opportunity for horticulture diversification: A tentative proposal for the Spanish case

European horticulture, especially in the southern states, must exploit new qualities to increase the added value of its vegetables. This article aims to analyze the situation of the European geographical quality labels Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) to ascertain whether they are useful for this purpose. To this end, we studied the registers of the current horticultural products awarded PDO or PGI status, and we surveyed the authorities responsible for managing the labels for these products. We found that protected labels have grown steadily since their inception about thirty years ago, becoming a powerful mechanism for landrace conservation and a source of added benefits. The strongest points in the management of these labels include anchoring the products in the local history and culture roots and defining the prominent characteristics of their external appearance, and the weakest points are the lack of information about chemical traits and especially about sensory traits (texture, odor, taste). To strengthen PDO and PGI labels, we propose increasing the requirements for sensory descriptions, homogenizing protocols for analyzing sensory traits, incorporating methods combining trained sensory panels and instrumental methods such as spectroscopy, and involving public administrations in both obtaining and managing the labels. As an example of the potential impact of European geographical labels on territorial rebalancing and the organization of European horticulture, we propose a panoply of products in Spain that are good candidates for protected status.

Understanding the Role of Purchasing Predictors in the Consumer’s Preferences for PDO Labelled Honey

ABSTRACT In recent years, honey consumption has attracted an increasing interest among consumers, due to its beneficial properties for health and to the multiplicity of its use. Given the high importance that consumers ascribe to the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label, considered as one of the most relevant attributes for agro-food consumers, this study aims at detecting the main variables that influence the attitudes of honey consumers toward the PDO label by analyzing the purchasing intention of a convenience sample of northern Italian consumers. With this purpose, a logistic regression model analysis was performed, based on the consumers’ stated preference for PDO honey. The research highlights that those consumers who give their preference to PDO honey, also associate this label with aspects linked to environmental sustainability and to its organic production. Moreover, only gender, among the socio-demographic characteristics, had a significant effect on consumer attitudes toward the PDO label.

Sustainability assessment in the food supply chain: study of a certified product in Italy

The assessment of sustainability practices in the supply chain involves not only defining the measures or indicators, but also implementing, using and updating them according to driving elements that motivate companies to opt for sustainability. The aims in this study are to investigate if, how and why firms in different stages of the food supply chain assess their sustainability, and the alignment of the supply chain sustainability (SCS) assessment with the SCS practices and drivers. This paper studies the case of Grana Padano cheese, one of the major Italian PDO (protected designation of origin) products. The case comprises eight companies in the main three supply chain stages; plus, the Consortium that manages the PDO label. The Grana Padano supply chain opts mainly for a loose-coupled approach in their SCS performance management. The study contributes to the SCS literature by providing a typology of assessment approaches, in terms of alignment among drivers, practices and measures, and provides insights for understanding the reasons why companies adopt a certain approach.

Market-Oriented Sustainability of Sjenica Sheep Cheese

This study investigated the nature and level of market-oriented sustainability of Sjenica sheep cheese, a Serbian Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)-registered product. In the analysis of the supply chain market sustainability, three theories were used: Resource dependence theory, upper echelons theory, and signaling theory. The data were collected using a stepwise research design, applying techniques of observation and in-depth and telephone interviewing. The results show that the low recognition of the PDO label among Serbian consumers and all participants in the supply chain and the lack of the presence in the markets and large packages negatively impact domestic consumers in their decisions to purchase higher amounts of Sjenica sheep cheese. Small producers lack bargaining power, whereas their perceptions hinder formation of inter-organizational arrangements. The insufficient education of big producers and distributors impede the achievement of better business results. The main challenges for the export of Sjenica sheep cheese are the inadequate certification of this food product for the European Union market, the lack of standardized production process that results in variations in the product quality, and the unawareness of the regional consumers of Sjenica sheep cheese due to insufficient communication efforts.

Consumer awareness of PDO-labelled food in Slovenia

The study analyses the importance of the protected designation of origin (PDO) as a selection criterion in purchases of traditional food products in a consumer’s daily life, the awareness of products with a PDO label, and determinants of use of the PDO label for purchasing PDO-labelled products. A survey questionnaire was distributed by regular mail to a representative sample of Slovenian consumers. The survey results show that the presence of a PDO label on a food package is not too important for respondents. Slovenian consumers tend to pay greater attention to the taste of the product, its positive impact on their health, and the ingredients. There is low awareness of PDO-labelled products, which may be explained by the fact that Slovenia has a weak tradition in using geographical indications. Among consumers who were aware of products with a PDO label, their interests and quality perceptions played a significant role in shaping their use of the PDO label. The study demonstrated a direct relationship between the belief the PDO signals a better-quality product and use of the PDO label.HighlightsA PDO label is not too important to Slovenian consumers.There is poor awareness of the PDO label.It is worth investing in PDO labels.

Laser diode induced excitation of PDO extra virgin olive oils for cognitive authentication and fraud detection

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), the star of the Mediterranean diet, is a valuable product within the food sector. In certain cases, due to specific and special olive varietals and blends, as well as organoleptic properties, EVOOs are even authenticated with protected designation of origin (PDO) labels. Because of this, false labeling and even adulterations have been reported in this sector. During this research, a laser diode has been used to gather 254 fluorescence spectra from that many artificially prepared samples of fresh PDO EVOO mixed with small amounts of old olive oils (adulterants). The database was then treated and employed to train and optimize an intelligent model based on a supervised artificial neural network known as multilayer perceptron (MLP). The goal of this non-linear model was dual: to identify the PDO of every sample and to quantify the amount of fresh EVOO. After meticulous validation using blinded samples to assess the performance of the MLP, the outcome was successful. The algorithm could perfectly distinguish the PDOs and determine the amount of fresh EVOO with a mean absolute error of around 1.5% (w/w). Therefore, the combination of a laser diode and cognitive modeling leads to a fast and cost-effective tool able to authenticate PDO labels of EVOOs and estimate the amount of potential adulterating agents such as olive oils from old harvests.

Consumer preferences regarding national and EU quality labels for cheese, ham and honey

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer preferences in the Slovenian context with regard to cheese, ham and honey labelled with the national and EU protected designation of origin (PDO) indication and the protected geographical indication (PGI) associated with price and origin.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey with a representative sample of the Slovenian population of 650 consumers was conducted. Consumer preferences were estimated using choice-based conjoint analysis.FindingsThe findings show that price is the most powerful driver of consumer preferences for cheese and honey, whereas it is origin for ham, which proved to be the most strongly desired “Slovenian” food product of all items analysed. Label is the least preferable attribute for all three products considered. Cheese, ham and honey bearing the national PDO and PGI labels were more desired than products carrying the EU PDO and PGI labels. The study findings also show the main statistically significant differences in the age and gender of consumers.Research limitations/implicationsThe biggest limitation is that the study focused on certain labels only, related to quality, and origin in particular.Practical implicationsThis result highlights the need to extend and intensify promotional and communication activities to increase consumer preferences for the national and EU PDO- and PGI-labelled cheeses, ham and honey.Originality/valueThis study contributes to relevant literature by presenting the results regarding consumer preferences for the EU and national quality labels for different food categories in Slovenia, which has no tradition in using the EU quality labels.

An empirical examination of consumer preferences for honey in Croatia

ABSTRACTIn past years, beekeeping as an agricultural sector has become more organized, but there is still a gap in knowledge in considering consumer preferences for honey. The aim of the research was to determine consumer preferences for honey and their attitudes towards the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label. Also, in the article is presented the current situation regarding the honey market and legislation of the PDO label at the EU and national levels. The result of the empirical research carried out on a sample of 1008 respondents showed that they mostly prefer a mild flavour and brighter colour of honey. According to the type, most of the respondents prefer acacia rather than floral and meadow honeys or other types of honey. The most common method of honey purchase is directly from the producers (75%). The results of the Principle Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the most important attributes are the intrinsic attributes of the honey and that the most common reasons for purchasing and consuming honey are for its health and medical benefits. The obtained results fill the gap in knowledge regarding consumer preferences for honey in the Croatian market and can be useful for the creation of new honey-marketing strategies for local beekeepers.

Characterization by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography of the volatile profile of protected designation of origin Montasio cheese during ripening

Montasio is a typical protected designation of origin (PDO) Italian semi-hard and semi-cooked cheese produced in northeast Italy from raw or thermized cow’s milk. The PDO label implies that the product has distinctive characteristics that are connected to traditional production methods. The aim of this work was to precisely characterize the volatile fraction of this Italian cheese. The volatile profile can be considered a fingerprint because the flavor of a cheese variety is the result of a specific balance between the volatile compounds produced during the ripening process. Analysis of the volatile profile of Montasio cheese was performed by solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography. Six cheesemaking trials were performed, each in a different dairy located within the Montasio cheese production area. Cheeses were analyzed at 5 stages of ripening (60, 90, 170, 300, and 365 d). Only 11 compounds were identified and measured: 5 fatty acids, 3 alcohols, 2 ketones, and 1 ester. The limited number of volatile compounds measured in the headspace of the Montasio cheese is probably due to the specific making process of this cheese, which affects evolution of the microflora and the biochemical processes of ripening. The total volatile fraction profile progressively increased from 60 to 170 d, after which time it remained almost steady. The most important contributors were found to be ethanol, short-chain fatty acids (C2 to C6), diacetyl, and ethyl hexanoate. Ethanol and short-chain fatty acids increased up to 170 d, diacetyl increased up to 300 d and then declined, and ethyl hexanoate increased until the final stage.