The volatile profile of Spanish-style green table olives after fermentation and the changes in volatile compounds that occurred as a result of the post-fermentation and subsequent packing stage were explored by solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Three olive cultivars (Manzanilla, Gordal, and Hojiblanca) were processed and olive samples were taken at three different times throughout the elaboration: after fermentation, after post-fermentation, and after packing. A total of 132 volatile compounds were identified, including 10 phenols, 25 alcohols, 11 acids, 39 esters, 8 hydrocarbons, 14 carbonyl compounds, 17 terpenes, and 6 other compounds. A varying number of compounds from each chemical family underwent significant changes because of the post-fermentation and packing stages. Among them, some typical reaction products of lipid oxidation (e.g. (E)-2-decenal and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal) increased with the post-fermentation in Manzanilla cultivar, and also as a result of packing in all three cultivars.
Keywords: Fermentation; GC–MS; Olive cultivar; Packing; Post-fermentation; SPME; Table olives; Volatile compounds.
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