In this work, the evolution of virgin olive oil from 4 olive varieties when stored at 5°C, 10°C and 20°C for a period of up to 3 years was studied. Free acidity increased progressively for the 4 varieties, staying below the limit for extra virgin olive oil, even at the highest temperature. The peroxide value also increased, reaching its maximum after about 28 months of storage, when some samples stored at 20°C exceeded the limit for extra virgin olive oil. The maximum values for K270 and K232 were reached at the end of the storage period, also exceeding the limit for extra virgin olive oil in the case of some varieties stored at 20°C. Oxidative stability decreased by 38%-50% depending on the storage temperature and the variety. Most of the color indexes increased in value because of the degradation of the oil pigments.
Keywords: color; oxidation; oxidative stability; peroxide index; storage; virgin olive oil.