Does water addition during the industrial milling phase affect the chemical-sensory quality of olive oils? The case of cv. Arbequina oils

Food Chem. 2022 Nov 30:395:133570. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.133570. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

Abstract

At olive oil industrial extraction, water addition is a practice overcoming the formation of thick pastes. The effect of water addition (0 to 6.2%, kgadded water/kgolives), during the industrial milling of cv. Arbequina olives, on the oils' chemical-sensory quality, was evaluated. Despite the extra virgin olive oil classification, compared with the water incorporation (1.2-6.2%), extraction without water addition resulted into oils that showed less primary oxidation (lower peroxide values and K232), greater total phenolic content (+12-22%) and higher oxidative stability (+22-31%). No water addition increased the oils secoiridoids content (+5-13%), mainly oleacein (+27-79%). Oils extracted without water addition had a more intense ripe fruity sensation (≥ +11%) but lower fruit intensities (at least -4%). Thus, the quality and stability of the cv. Arbequina oils can be favoured if extracted without adding water during the olives industrial milling.

Keywords: Chemometrics; Electronic tongue; Industrial extraction; Olive oil; Phenolic profile; Potentiometry; Sensory analysis; Water addition.

MeSH terms

  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Olea*
  • Olive Oil / analysis
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Plant Oils*

Substances

  • Olive Oil
  • Plant Oils