In this study, the effect of adding some aromatic plants (garlic, rosemary, thyme, and hot-red pepper) on the quality and organoleptic properties of flavored olive oil extracted from the olive fruits Maraqi variety are studied after adding aromatic plants at a concentration of 2%. Acidity, peroxide value, K232, K270, sensorial attributes, oxidative stability, and phenolic contents had been monitored. Also, phenolic compounds are identified in the flavored and unflavored olive oil samples. These results demonstrated that the aromatic plant had enhanced the flavored olive oil stability; the levels of addition of aromatic plants could be distinguished by the taster's sensory attributes of flavored olive oil. As the plan of the experiment includes process preparation and consumer preference, it is possible to apply the obtained results to the production of flavored olive oil. The producers will gain a new product with more added values due to the nutritional and antioxidant strength of the aromatic plants.
Keywords: aromatic plants; flavored olive oil; phenolic compounds; sensory attributes.