Reliability of the bromthymol blue method for color in virgin olive oils

The bromthymol blue (BTB) method is currently used for the assessment of color in olive and seed oils by visual comparison with standard solutions. Two BTB scales were prepared with 2 yr difference and compared, and the recent one was used to analyze 502 virgin olive oil samples, obtained by the Abencor® technique reproducing the industrial procedure. The temporal chromatic degradation of the BTB samples after 2 yr [3.93 Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) 1976-(L*a*b*) (CIELAB) units, on the average], as well as the small percentage of virgin olive oils matching the colors of the samples provided by the BTB scales (13.1% with a suprathreshold color tolerance of 1.52 CIELAB units), indicates the limitations of the BTB method. Linear regression models are proposed in order to compute with acceptable accuracy the BTB indices from chromaticparameters. The use of CIELAB for the specification and future studies on color in virgin olive oils is recommended.     

Reproducibility of the bromthymol blue standards used for color specification of virgin olive oil

Three replicates were prepared for each of 60 BTB (bromthymol blue) standards, which are usually employed to determine the color of virgin olive and seed oils, and their colors were measured by spectrophotometric and spectroradiometric techniques on a monthly basis over a year. Although in principle both techniques are valid, their results are weakly correlated. The major color change of the BTB standards occurred soon after sample preparation; after 5 mon, the color stabilized at approximately 3.0 Commission Internationale de l’éclairage 1976-(L^*a^*b^*) (CIELAB) units, with respect to the initial values. Therefore, after preparation, a certain waiting period would be advisable before using the BTB standards. The color of the BTB standards changes over time in the sense of becoming lighter, more saturated, and less greenish. In the monthly periods after the fifth month, the average color change of the BTB standards was negligible, being slightly lower than the average variability of the three replicates (which is around 1.5 CIELAB units).     

Performance of two color scales for virgin olive oils: Influence of ripeness,variety, and harvest season

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the performance of the bromthymol blue (BTB) method and the Uniform Oil Color Scale (UOCS) method with different sets of virgin olive oil samples from Andalusia (Spain), namely, 1213 samples from olives at three stages of ripeness, 1008 samples from eight olive varieties, and 1700 samples from olives harvested in four different crop seasons. All oils were extracted in the laboratory by the same procedure. The performance of the two color scales was compared using CIELAB color differences between the oil samples and the nearest standard from each scale. The UOCS performed at least 2.0 times better than the BTB for each of the three stages of olive ripeness, and the difference between the two color scales was statistically significant (P<0.001). The UOCS performed at least 1.3 times better than the BTB for each of the eight olive varieties studied, and the differences between the two color scales were statistically significant (P<0.02). The UOCS also performed at least 1.6 times better than the BTB for each of the four harvests analyzed, and the differences between the two color scales were statistically significant (P<0.001). Using the current oil samples, we could discern no substantial improvements to the UOCS standards.     

Precision and accuracy in the color specification of virgin olive oils from the bromthymol blue method

Twenty experienced observers with nondefective color vision judged 27 virgin olive oil samples within an acceptable color range, using the bromthymol blue (BTB) method, under controlled observation conditions (daylight source with a correlated color temperature of 6500 K, and standard gray back-ground). On the average, 44.8% of the observers agreed in their selections of the BTB standard solution matching a given oil sample, and this percentage increased to 88.2% considering ±one step in the two dimensions (pH and concentration) of the BTB scale. On the average, the lowest color difference between oil samples and available BTB solutions was 6.6 Commission Internationale de l'éclairage 1976-(L^*a^*b^*) (CIELAB) units, but this color difference was approximately two times greater for the color difference between oil samples and BTB solutions selected by our observers. The colors of the BTB standard solutions in the CIELAB space are not uniformly distributed, and thus one step in pH or concentration is equivalent to CIELAB color differences varying in a wide range (1.7–13.5 and 1.7–26.3 CIELAB units, respectively). From these values, indicating low precision, accuracy, and uniformity, some suggestions are made for future improvements of the current BTB method.     

Simplified measurement of virgin olive oil color by application of the characteristic vector method

There are several simplified methods to measure the color of virgin olive oils. However, their reliability is questionable, as they provide errors that sometimes can be considerable. A new method to calculate color coordinates and objective chromatic parameters in the color region of these olive oils is proposed with the aim of overcoming these objections. The method is a simplification of the original method proposed by the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE), based on the measurement of the complete visible spectrum, from 380 to 770 nm. The characteristic vector analysis provides new equations to calculate tristimulus values as functions of these transmittance values based on a reconstruction of oil transmission spectra measuring from three to six wavelengths. The results show that color differences exist between the color coordinates of the experimental samples and those obtained by means of the proposed method. For more than 90% of the samples, the difference was smaller than three CIELAB units when equations based on four or more wavelengths were used.     

Influence of Turbidity Grade on Color and Appearance of Virgin Olive Oil

The appearance of most of the commercialized olive oils involves both their color and turbidity depending on the different technologies used for their elaboration. This research has been carried out to study the filtration impact on the colorimetric changes of virgin olive oils. Naturally turbid olive oils were blended at different proportions (100, 80, 60, 40, 20 and 0%) with their corresponding filtered replicates to obtain a scale of six levels of turbidity and simulating different turbidity grades. Tristimulus colorimetry, particularly the CIELAB uniform color, was used to follow color changes. As turbidity of the oil increased in the blend, yellowish oils, darker, and less saturated were obtained. Univariate correlations between the colorimetric parameters and turbid content were achieved with second degree polynomial equations, being chroma ( C_\textab ^* C_{{_{\text{ab}} }}^{ *} ) and hue (h _ab) the best correlated parameters. The color differences ( \Updelta E_\textab ^* \Updelta E_{{_{\text{ab}} }}^{ *} ) calculated between turbid oils (100%) and the consecutively decreasing turbid oils blends ranged from 3.18 to 18.72 CIELAB units, revealing differences in color visually perceptible to the human eye.     

Dependence between apparent color and extractable color in paprika

The color properties of 96 paprika samples were evaluated by tristimulus reflectance measurements. The extractable color (ASTA units) of all these samples was also determined. The linear correlation between individual CIELAB parameters and extractable color was very poor. Several color indices used with other foods were shown to be of insufficient accuracy for predicting the extractable color in paprika. A new color index for paprika (PACI) is proposed based on the CIELAB coordinates L* (lightness), a* (red‐blue), and h (hue angle), and it is calculated as “1000a*/(L*+h)”. This new index showed a high correlation with the logarithm of extractable color (r = 0.9662) and was able to distinguish between sample groups of different ASTA units. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Col Res Appl, 24, 93–97, 1999     

Practical demonstration of the CIEDE2000 corrections to CIELAB using a small set of sample pairs

A set of 10 color pairs was proposed and produced in 2002 to show the advantages of the CIEDE2000 color‐difference formula with respect to CIELAB. These 10 color pairs illustrated each of the five corrections to CIELAB proposed by CIEDE2000. The 10 color pairs were visually assessed, under reference conditions close to those proposed by CIEDE2000, by two groups of 31 and 21 inexperienced observers, using two different gray scales. Average visual results in these experiments fitted CIEDE2000 predictions much better than CIELAB, as shown by a decrease of Standardized Residual Sum of Squares values of about 20 units. Current visual results showed only the improvement of CIEDE2000 upon CIELAB in predictions of perceived color differences, but they are not recommended for testing new advanced color‐difference formulas. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 38, 429–436, 2013.     

Color Measurements in Blue-Tinted Cups for Virgin-Olive-Oil Tasting

Color measurements have been performed using eighteen virgin-olive-oil tasting cups with ten different commercial virgin olive oils, positioned in a color cabinet with a D65 source. Three geometries (spectroradiometer tilted 0°, 30°, and 60°) were employed, simulating different positions of the taster’s eye. Our main goal was to test whether traditional blue-tinted cups effectively conceal the color of virgin olive oils, as desired in sensorial analyses. None of the cups employed had all their geometrical dimensions within the standardized values, despite being cups used in official sensorial analyses. Measuring a magnitude similar to the spectral transmittance, we found substantial differences among the glasses of the eighteen tasting cups. Comparing color variability for one virgin olive oil in different tasting cups, and one tasting cup with different virgin olive oils, we discovered that: (1) variability was higher in the case of one virgin olive oil in different cups; (2) in both cases the variability increased with the tilt of the spectroradiometer; (3) even when the variability was lowest (i.e., 0° measurements for two oils in the same cup), the average color difference was above typical visual thresholds in simultaneous comparison experiments. In the most usual case of a successive comparison between two oils in the same tasting cup, it is expected that in most cases tasters will perceive color differences between the oils when their eyes are tilted 60° with respect to the horizontal, but not when they observe the cup in the horizontal direction. In summary, blue-tinted olive-oil-tasting cups reduce, but do not completely conceal, oil color. The use of opaque tasting cups with black walls is suggested.     

Research on color harmony of building façades

In this study, the 28 primary colors and 11 complementary colors suggested by Chang et al in their investigation on building colors in Wanhua District of Taipei City were taken as color samples. The two-color combination mode was adopted to obtain 308 simulation photos, and two-color harmony was discussed from the perspective of visual evaluation using psychophysical tests. This study explored building façade color harmony in the CIELAB color space, and the relationship between the color attributes (hue, lightness, and chroma) and the color harmony, and between the differences of the color attributes and color harmony. It found that a high lightness of a building's primary color is associated with a high level of building color harmony, while the color harmony is reduced when the color falls in the green or blue sector in the CIELAB color space; a greater lightness difference between building façade colors is associated with a higher level of building color harmony, while the colors are disharmonized when they tend to the blue sector in the CIELAB color space. The contribution of this study is to summarize the principles for the application of building color harmony in urban renewal, and proposed suggestions on building color harmony in the urban renewal process.     

Color determination in olive oils

Color characterization of olive oil may be of great importance to the industry. To determine the color of a solution, it is necessary to accurately measure a series of tristimulus coordinates for which several methods exist. This study analyzes the errors in the calculation of tristimulus values of olive oil color based on methods, by using several selected ordinates and an increasing number of weighted ordinates, and how these errors affect the values of the chromatic parameters defined in the various chromatic systems. The above analysis shows that the use of a large number of ordinates will lead to better results in the color definition of oils. For its determination, we have used the CIE 1931, CIELUV 1976 and CIELAB 1976 spaces; the latter yields the best results.     

The feasibility of establishing new color image scales using the magnitude estimation method

Color image is one of the most important factors in art and design. In general, artists and designers apply their own personal image meanings into their work. However, the image meaning for a specific work is frequently in conflict with those of the general observer. Thus it is necessary and important to derive one set of merit color image scales which can be utilized to predict the color image meanings of works in parallel with the average person's perception and which can also serve as a guide for artists and designers. In this study, the psychophysical method (magnitude estimation method), usually used in visual measurement of color appearance, was employed to attempt to establish new color image scales to evaluate the color image meanings of works matching those of the average person. The results show that new color image scales WIP are developed, and the relativity between the latest color image scales WIP and the color attributes (say Lightness L*, Hue h, and Chroma C*) of the CIELAB color space is also discussed. The total mean value of coefficient of variation for the results of visual assessment in the experiment of evaluating the color image meanings of the 207 color specimens used, in general, is about 36, similar to that for those experiments conducted using the psychological method. Also, a good relationship between the new color image scales and the color attributes of the CIELAB color space can be found. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 463–468, 2007     

A rapid estimation of pigment content in virgin olive oils by a solvent-free method

In this work, a fast method was proposed for estimating the virgin olive oils (VOOs) carotenoids and chlorophylls concentration using color measurement. The pigment content by conventional spectrophotometry method and CIELAB color (L*, a*, and b*) at different degree of sample thickness (from 5 to 50 mm) of one hundred VOOs were measured. Oil carotenoids and chlorophylls content were correlated with the color parameters for the different oil thickness studied to design the prediction models of the new method. The best regression coefficients (R²) were obtained for multiple linear regression model using the three independent variables (L*, a*, and b*) together measured at 5 mm of oil thickness. The R² were 0.9679, 0.9515, and 0.9644 for predicting carotenoids, chlorophylls, and total pigments, respectively. External validation of these prediction models was satisfactory (relative error < 0.1). Therefore, this new solvent-free colorimetric method is a useful method for determination of carotenoids and chlorophylls content in VOOs. Practical applications: The simple colorimetric method developed in this study offers a fast and accurate alternative to current methods published in the literature to estimate the pigment content in VOOs. It is a rapid (less than 1 min) and cheap method, with the advantage of ease of operation, no sample pretreatment and solvent-free, thus environmentally friendly. This methodology can potentially be used by trained “nonprofessional analytical skilled” people in small laboratories or olive oil mills with limited technical facilities. Therefore, the technique is highly plausible as an alternative to determine the pigment content in VOOs. Finally, future works with this methodology could be carried out to online control of VOOs pigments content in the oil extraction process.     

Detection of Soft‐Deodorized Olive Oil and Refined Vegetable Oils in Virgin Olive Oil Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Traditional Analytical Parameters

The European Parliament identifies virgin olive oil (VOO) as one of the foods which are often subject to fraudulent activities. Possibilities of adulteration are the application of illegal soft deodorization of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or the commercialization of blends of EVOO with soft‐deodorized EVOO or refined vegetable oils. Despite the search for possibilities to prove the illegal soft deodorization of EVOO or the addition of cheaper vegetable oils to EVOO, suitable methods are still missing. Therefore, the aim of the study is to develop a new analytical and statistical approach addressing detection of mild deodorization or addition of refined foreign oils. For this purpose, VOOs are treated in lab‐scale for 1 h up to 28 days at different temperatures (20, 50, 60, 80,100, 110, and 170 °C) in order to simulate and study the effect of heat treatment on known analytical parameters by near infrared spectroscopy (NIR). A logit regression model enabling the calculation of the probability for a heat treatment is developed. This new methodology allows detecting both soft deodorized olive oils and blends of EVOO with cheaper full refined vegetable oils. Adding only 10% of full refined oil could be detected in extra VOO. Practical Applications: NIR methods combined with chemometrics have become one of the most attractive analytical tools to control quality of food. It is a simple, precise, and rapid method. All relevant analytical parameters of oxidative and thermal fat degradation can be determined in a single run and be used to detect adulterated virgin olive oils (VOOs). The use of a simple equation developed from the logistic regression using peroxide value, K‐values, p‐anisidine value, pyropheophytine, 1,2‐diacylglycerols, total polar compounds and monomeric oxidized triacylglycerols, and other well‐known parameters allows to detect mild deodorized olive oils or also blends of VOO with soft‐deodorized ones or the addition of low amounts of foreign vegetable oils. This technique has potential to be used as a screening method for the detection of adulterated olive oils using both the traditional laboratory methods and the corresponding NIR‐methods.     

Color errors of digital cameras

The mean color errors of a high‐quality digital camera are defined in CIELAB and CIEDE2000 ΔE units by using 16 ceramic color samples, whose accurate CIELAB values have been measured by a calibrated spectrophotometer. The bandwidths of CCD's color filters are evaluated by taking photographs of CRT‐display primaries. The lowest mean color errors were 13.1 CIELAB ΔE units and 8.1 CIEDE2000 ΔE units before corrections. Large color errors are decreased successfully by using three different methods: simple photoeditor, gamma correction, and multiple regression. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 29, 217–221, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20007     

A spectrophotometric color matching algorithm for precolored fiber blends

In this article, a spectrophotometric color matching algorithm based on Stearns‐Noechel model is proposed. This algorithm was run to predict recipes for 48 viscose blends. Color differences between the original blend samples and the calculated were expressed in CIELAB units (10°standard observer). M (the empirical constant in Stearns‐Noechel model) value was determined by median analysis. When M equals to 0.09, the best fit was obtained for three‐components fiber blends. In that case, the maximum color difference is 1.22 CIELAB units and the average computed color difference is 0.56 CIELAB units for 36 three‐components fiber blends under D65 illuminant. When M is from 0.03 to 0.06, the best fit was obtained for four‐components fiber blends. In that case, the maximum color difference is 4.48 CIELAB units and the average computed color difference is 1.02 CIELAB units for 12 four‐components fiber blends under D65 illuminant. It is demonstrated that the algorithm can be used in color matching of fiber blends. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 34, 108–114, 2009     

A laboratory study of the bleaching process in stigmasta-3,5-diene concentration in olive oils

The bleaching effect was simulated in pilot plant by measuring the influence of temperature (40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90°C), time (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 min), and concentration of solid adsorbent [1.5 and 8% (w/w) of Tonsil supreme NFF] on stigmasta-3,5-diene (STIG) obtained by dehydration of steroidal compounds. Conditions were chosen to simulate those used in industrial operations. The presence of refined oils in extra virgin olive oil can be detected by these newly formed steroid hydrocarbons. Experimental results indicated that STIG did not exceed an imposed limit of 0.15 mg/kg in extra virgin olive oil, when oils were bleached with 1.5% earth at temperatures ≤80°C for 30 min in admixed to oils sold as virgin. A large proportion of the adulterations were not detectable by the official methods. Color determinations (CIE-1931) chromatic coordinates) were replicated on a refined oil and in admixed extra virgin olive oil. Color of olive oil was not significantly affected by mixing with refined oil (≤20%).     

A novel Color Rendition Chart for digital tongue image calibration

Digital tongue images are usually acquired by a camera under specific illumination environments. In order to guarantee better color representation of the tongue body, we propose a novel tongue Color Rendition Chart acting as a color reference to be used in color calibration algorithms to standardize the captured tongue images. First, based on a large tongue image database captured with our digital tongue image acquisition system, we establish a statistical tongue color gamut. Then, from the first step, different quantities of colors in the Color Rendition Chart are determined via experimentation. Afterwards, results using X‐Rite's ColorChecker® Color Rendition Chart (a standard in the color calibration field) are compared with the proposed tongue Color Rendition Chart by applying the color difference calculation formula of CIELAB and CIEDE2000 as a reference for the mean color calibration error. The results show that the proposed tongue Color Rendition Chart, which has 24 colors, produces a much smaller error (CIELAB —8.0755/CIEDE 2000—6.3482) compared with X‐Rite's ColorChecker® Color Rendition Chart (CIELAB 1976—14.7836/CIEDE 2000—11.7686). This demonstrates the effectiveness of the novel tongue Color Rendition Chart.     

Correlation between visual and colorimetric scales ranging from threshold to large color difference

Psychophysical experiments of color discrimination threshold and suprathreshold color‐difference comparison were carried out with CRT‐generated stimuli using the interleaved staircase and constant stimuli methods, respectively. The experimental results ranged from small (including threshold) to large color difference at the five CIE color centers, which were satisfactorily described by chromaticity ellipses as equal color‐difference contours in the CIELAB space. The comparisons of visual and colorimetric scales in CIELAB unit and threshold unit indicated that the colorimetric magnitudes typically were linear with the visual ones, though with different proportions in individual directions or color centers. In addition, color difference was generally underestimated by the Euclidean distance in the CIELAB space, whereas colorimetric magnitude was perceptually underestimated for threshold unit, implying the present color system is not a really linear uniform space. Furthermore, visual data were used to test the CIELAB‐based color‐difference formulas. In their original forms CIEDE2000 performed a little better than CMC, followed by CIELAB, and with CIE94 showing the worst performance for the combined data set under the viewing condition in this study. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 27, 349–359, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.10081     

The effect of gloss on color

A model was developed for the effect of gloss on reflected color, taking the measurement geometry of the color measuring device into account. It considers the total front surface reflectance of a given sample to be independent of gloss and determined only by its refractive index and the angle of the incident beam. Although the total front surface reflectance is fixed, its specular component increases (and the diffuse component decreases) with increasing sample gloss. Therefore, the diffuse reflectance factor measured by a spectrophotometer decreases with sample gloss. In this article, a defined curve was fitted to the measured reflectance factor of black xerographic print samples having a range of gloss values for the 0/45 and diffuse spectrophotometer geometries, and this curve was used to predict the CIELAB color values for samples of the other colors at various gloss levels. The predicted color was compared to the measured color for cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green, and blue images that spanned a wide range of gloss. The RMS color error between the predicted and measured color of all of these images was found to be about 3 CIELAB ΔE* units. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Col Res Appl, 24, 369–376, 1999