Effect of Storage Conditions on the Quality of Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Impact on the Composition of Flavor-Related Compounds (Phenols and Volatiles)

Abstract

Commercialization of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) requires a best before date recommended at up to 24 months after bottling, stored under specific conditions. Thus, it is expected that the product retains its chemical properties and preserves its ‘extra virgin’ category. However, inadequate storage conditions could alter the properties of EVOO. In this study, Arbequina EVOO was exposed to five storage conditions for up to one year to study the effects on the quality of the oil and the compounds responsible for flavor. Every 15 or 30 days, samples from each storage condition were analyzed, determining physicochemical parameters, the profiles of phenols, volatile compounds, α-tocopherol, and antioxidant capacity. Principal component analysis was utilized to better elucidate the relationships between the composition of EVOOs and the storage conditions. EVOOs stored at −23 and 23 °C in darkness and 23 °C with light, differed from the oils stored at 30 and 40 °C in darkness. The former was associated with a higher quantity of non-oxidized phenolic compounds and the latter with higher elenolic acid, oxidized oleuropein, and ligstroside derivatives, which also increased with storage time. (E)-2-nonenal (detected at trace levels in fresh oil) was selected as a marker of the degradation of Arbequina EVOO quality over time, with significant linear regressions identified for the storage conditions at 30 and 40 °C. Therefore, early oxidation in EVOO could be monitored by measuring (E)-2-nonenal levels.

Physicochemical characterization, kinetic parameters, shelf life and its prediction models of virgin olive oil from two cultivars (“Arbequina” and “Moroccan Picholine”) grown in Morocco

“…Similar results were obtained in previous studies showing an increase in FA level, along with storage at room temperature for olive oil (Stefanoudaki et al, 2010;Mousavi et al, 2021), and for argan oil (Gharby et al, 2021a(Gharby et al, , 2021bOubannin et al, 2022). However, based on the data found by Shendi et al (2019) and Caipo et al (2021), FA values of Turkish and Chilean extra virgin olive oils, remain below the limit established by the International Olive Council standards, during the whole storage period (12 months) at different conditions.…”

“…The second, the level of minor compound pool of antioxidant activity, which in this case consists mainly of tocopherols and polyphenols but also chlorophylls and carotenoids (Nieto et al, 2010). Our values were similar to those reported for EVOOs (Ciemniewska-Zytkiewicz et al, 2014;Farhoosh and Hoseini-Yazdi, 2014a). Results are expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3).…”

Compositional Changes in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Used as a Medium for Cheese Preservation

“…The initial total identified phenolic content (TIPC) was 359 ± 10 mg/kg, while after two months of storage without the addition of cheese, a decrease of 23.4% was observed ( Table 4 ). Presumably, this relatively high rate of degradation, compared with the usual decreases reported in the literature for longer storage periods [ 47 ], could be related to the larger surface area of oil exposed to oxygen present in jars used in this experiment [ 48 , 49 ]. It was previously established that during storage in dark conditions, the changes in the phenolic composition are most likely to take place due to the hydrolysis of secoiridoids aglycones, resulting in the release of simple phenols [ 50 ].…”

Therapeutic Properties and Use of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Clinical Nutrition: A Narrative Review and Literature Update

“…Cultivar, time, and growing conditions can modify the expression of the β-glucosidase, a main enzyme in the synthesis of secoiridoid derivatives in Olea europaea [ 79 ]. Malaxation temperature [ 46 ] and storage temperature [ 80 , 81 ] may also affect the phenolic content of EVOO. During storage, there is time-dependent conversion of their secoiridoids and derivatives (mainly oleacein and oleocanthal) into byproducts such as hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthalic acid.…”