Objectives: This work, on low-cost controlled freeze methodology for stabilizing the phenolic content in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), is evaluated by studying four Quality Indexes (QIs): free acidity, as % of oleic acid (1 st-QI); UV-absorption values; K 272 , K 232 and ΔK (2 nd-QI); total phenolic content (TPC), as Gallic acid equivalence (3 rd-QI); and lipid peroxidation products, as free malondialdehyde (MDA) (4 th-QI). Methods: The study of QIs for EVOO under storage, absence of light, at 25, 4,-20 and-80°C, with or without N 2-purge showed that the phenolic charge is stabilized for > 12 months, at refrigeration conditions storage (~ 4°C) in the absence of oxygen, whilst the peroxidation of lipids is being kept at a low level. Results: The results showed that the high concentration of natural hydroxylphenols in the EVOO in combination with its degassing (via N 2-purge) and storage at ~ 4°C, constitute the optimum conditions for preservation of olive oil as a long-lasting EVOO (LL [legal limit]-EVOO) with high added value. Conclusion: The main scientific contribution of this study is: (i) development and evaluation of a methodology (freeze controlled treatment) for the long-term preservation of EVOO quality, (ii) understanding the physicochemical mechanism and factors determining EVOO quality and (iii) ready-to-use technology for the local and international market.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.