Means-end chains analysis of extra virgin olive oil purchase and consumption behavior

Consumption and purchase behavior towards extra virgin olive oil are not well understood in the US. Soft laddering interviews were conducted with 63 Northern California consumers and means-end chains analysis on the interview data revealed common grounds of consumption and buying motivations for three different a priori defined consumer segments. Consumption motivational structures were more similar across the different consumer segments than purchasing ones. Consumers who purchased only local extra virgin olive oil had simpler perceptual orientations than consumers who purchased imported extra virgin olive oils or both imported and local oils. Several different consumer values could be associated with consequences that were linked to just one attribute. On the other hand, one particular value could also be associated with a few different attributes. These findings provide opportunities for the olive oil industry to design products that will better satisfy consumer values and needs.     

Development and test of a new fuzzy-QFD approach for characterizing customers rating of extra virgin olive oil

This paper presents the development of an innovative fuzzy-QFD based methodology for characterizing customer rating of food products. The method has been tested on different samples of extra virgin olive oil to verify its suitability.The results demonstrated the effectiveness of such multi-criterion technique not only for the design and development of new products that meet customers’ requirements, but also for testing the quality of existing ones.The main innovation of the method, consists in the application of the fuzzy logic to address the issue, common in many decisional techniques, of dealing with data deriving from subjective verbally expressed evaluations that cannot be treated with mathematical models.The objective of this work was to test the combined assessment technique based on quality function deployment and fuzzy logic method for determining which characteristics of extra virgin olive oil influence most of the acceptance of the consumers toward the product. The relationship between consumer expectations, defined by a market survey, and main attributes of the examined products were assessed by means of the House of Quality (HOQ). The results obtained allowed to classify the quality of different brands of olive oil with respect to customer preferences.     

Diacylglycerol isomers in extra virgin olive oil: Effect of different storage conditions

An experimental investigation was carried out with the aim to investigate on the isomerisation of 1,2-diacylglycerols to 1,3-diacylglycerols as a function of the storage conditions, as well as to identify indices useful to evaluate the freshness of the oils. Two oils derived from two different cultivars (Coratina and Ogliarola barese) were stored for two years as follows: in bottles at dark; in clear glass bottles at light; in green glass bottles at light; in bottles at dark, the latter subjected to repeated opening and samplings to simulate domestic use. The obtained results evinced that during the storage period a significant increase in the 1,3-isomers was observed due to an isomerisation from the 1,2 to the 1,3 isomeric form, consequently the 1,3/1,2 ratio increased in both oils. The covariance analysis of the data showed that the isomerisation of diacylglycerols, taking place during time, was affected by the type of oil, probably due to the different initial hydrolysis level, but was not affected by the storage conditions. Among the parameters considered, the total diacylglycerols/1,3-diacylglycerols ratio could be used as freshness index of extra virgin olive oil, since it is not affected by either oil or storage conditions.     

Self-organizing maps based on chaotic parameters to detect adulterations of extra virgin olive oil with inferior edible oils

A nonlinear algorithm based on chaotic parameters (CPs) has been employed to determine the nature of different output signals obtained from UV–vis spectrophotometer (UV) measurements. These signals come from UV scans of adulterated samples of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with refined olive oil or refined olive pomace oil, or from pure samples of EVOO with white random or sinusoidal white random noises. The data collected from this equipment was used to calculate CP values. Then, a self-organizing map was used to detect different types of signals. Using this method, the signals can be identified and classified into five groups depending on their type, the percentage of noise added, and the concentration of adulterant agents, with a misclassification rate of less than 1.3%.     

Effect of the matrix volatile composition in the headspace solid-phase microextraction analysis of extra virgin olive oil

The effectiveness of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) for the quantitative analysis of extra virgin olive oil volatiles was investigated on 44 standard compounds, using an adsorbent polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber. The method’s sensitivity was satisfactory, as was its repeatability. However, when the extraction was carried out on mixtures containing all the standard analytes, phenomena of coating saturation and competition between components caused losses in linearity at lower levels of concentration, thus distorting the quantitative evaluation. Coating saturation or displacement between components was also found to be responsible for the bias in the quantitative determinations when extra virgin olive oil samples were analysed. These limitations were overcome by diluting the oil at concentrations not exceeding the total capacity of the fiber coating and until the quantity of displacing compounds was reduced to sufficiently low levels.     

Potential use of extra virgin olive oil in bakery products rich in fats: a comparative study with refined oils

The lipid fraction of bakery products undergoes a significant degradation during baking, with an increase in undesirable oxidised substances, that can act as catalysts for further oxidative reactions during storage reducing the product shelf life. The use of extra virgin olive oil in bakery products rich in fat in place of refined oils was studied, assessing the evolution of the oxidative and hydrolytic degradation during storage. Two‐way analysis of variance, followed by Tukey's HSD test for multiple comparisons, covariance and principal component analyses were carried out to compare the effect of the type of oils. The data obtained showed that the evolution of the oxidation levels in the analysed samples during storage was related to the type of oil used in the production process. Particularly, the use of extra virgin olive oil led to significantly lower values of hydroperoxides, ultraviolet absorption constants, triacylglycerol oligopolymers and oxidised triacylglycerols.     

Aroma and physical characteristics of cakes prepared by replacing margarine with extra virgin olive oil

The effect of margarine substitution by extra virgin olive oil on the quality of Madeira cakes was studied. Three cakes containing either extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil/margarine mixture or margarine were prepared. The use of extra virgin olive oil increased batter density and cake volume while decreased the weight loss (%) during baking. Texture profile analysis also showed that the replacement of margarine by extra virgin olive oil affected significantly hardness and cohesiveness of the cakes. Headspace solid phase microextraction was applied in order to analyze the aroma of the three cakes. The addition of extra virgin olive oil produced a wide range of volatile compounds, which were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and were originated either from extra virgin olive oil or were produced during the baking process. Hedonic sensory tests were also conducted revealing that the cake prepared with extra virgin olive oil/margarine mixture was highly appreciated by the consumers as it got scores similar to control.     

Distribution of simple phenols,phenolic acids and flavonoids in Turkish monovarietal extra virgin olive oils for two harvest years

Monovarietal extra virgin olive oils extracted from six dominant and economically important Turkish olive cultivars (memecik, erkence, domat, nizip-yaglik, gemlik, ayvalik) were examined for their simple phenolics, phenolic acids and flavonoid compounds over 2005 and 2006 harvest years. Total phenol contents, oxidative stabilities and chromatic ordinates as colour parameters were also measured. The most typical phenolic compounds that were identified in both years are hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, luteolin, and apigenin. Multivariate data were analysed by principal component and partial least square-discriminant analyses. It was observed that phenolic profiles of olive oils depended highly on harvest season. In addition, oils of different olive cultivars have different distribution of phenols. No significant correlation was observed between oxidative stability and phenolic compounds. Increase in peroxide value over an accelerated oxidation period of 11 days showed weak correlations with total phenol content, vanillin, syringic acid and colour parameter a^∗, as 0.56, 0.55, −0.42, and 0.51, respectively, in terms of correlation coefficient r.     

Influence of the malaxation time and olive ripening stage on oil quality and phenolic compounds of virgin olive oils

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the malaxation time (Mt) and ripening stage on oil quality and phenolic compounds of Hojiblanca and Picual virgin olive oils. In both varieties of oil, phenolic content and oxidative stability decreased as ripening progressed. The total level of tocopherols diminished by up to 40% as fruit ripened. The compositions of palmitic, stearic, lignoceric, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids were significantly influenced by the ripening process. The present work shows that an increased Mt promoted the increase of free acidity (up to 13.3%) and tocopherols (up to 11.6%) and negatively affected the oxidative stability and the concentration of phenols. Further research is required to determine ripening stages and malaxation conditions for all olive oil varieties to achieve a satisfactory balance between the improvement of both oil yield and oil quality and composition.     

Tocopherol speciation as first screening for the assessment of extra virgin olive oil quality by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/fluorescence detector

A method based on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector has been developed for the determination of tocopherols in vegetable oils. Oils were diluted in acetonitrile/tetrahydrofuran (THF) and injected directly onto HyPurity C₁₈ column. Methanol and THF (90:10) mixture was used as a mobile phase. Tocopherols were detected by fluorescence detector. The method had good limit of detection (LOD) (7 ng/g for α-tocopherol and 6 ng/g for β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols) and reproducibility (CV% < 2.8%).     

The effect of high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil on cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

The polyphenol fraction of extra-virgin olive oil may be partly responsible for its cardioprotective effects. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of high versus low polyphenol olive oil on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in clinical trials. In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, CINAHL, PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases were systematically searched for relevant studies. Randomized controlled trials that investigated markers of CVD risk (e.g. outcomes related to cholesterol, inflammation, oxidative stress) were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Jadad scale. A meta-analysis was conducted using clinical trial data with available CVD risk outcomes. Twenty-six studies were included. Compared to low polyphenol olive oil, high polyphenol olive oil significantly improved measures of malondialdehyde (MD: ?0.07µmol/L [95%CI: ?0.12, ?0.02µmol/L]; I²: 88%; p?=?0.004), oxidized LDL (SMD: ?0.44 [95%CI: ?0.78, ?0.10µmol/L]; I²: 41%; P?=?0.01), total cholesterol (MD 4.5 mg/dL [95%CI: ?6.54, ?2.39 mg/dL]; p<0.0001) and HDL cholesterol (MD 2.37 mg/dL [95%CI: 0.41, 5.04 mg/dL]; p?=?0.02). Subgroup analyses and individual studies reported additional improvements in inflammatory markers and blood pressure. Most studies were rated as having low-to-moderate risk of bias. High polyphenol oils confer some CVD-risk reduction benefits; however, further studies with longer duration and in non-Mediterranean populations are required.     

High performance size-exclusion chromatography analysis of polar compounds applied to refined, mild deodorized, extra virgin olive oils and their blends: An approach to their differentiation

An investigation was carried out to evaluate the use of High Performance Size-Exclusion Chromatography (HPSEC) of polar compounds of refined, mild deodorized, extra virgin olive oils as well as of their blends, in attempting to reveal significant differences in the amounts of the substance classes constituting polar compounds among these oils. Two sets of blends were prepared by mixing an extra virgin olive oil with both refined and mild deodorized olive oils in increasing amounts. The obtained data highlighted that the triacylglycerol oligopolymers were absent or present in traces in the extra virgin olive oil, while their mean amount was equal to 0.04 g/100 g and 0.72 g/100 g in mild deodorized and refined olive oils, respectively. Oxidized triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols were more abundant in mild deodorized oil and refined oil than in extra virgin olive oil. The Factorial Discriminant Analysis of the data showed that the HPSEC analysis could reveal the presence of refined/mild deodorized oils in extra virgin olive oils. In particular, the classification functions obtained allowed designation of mixtures containing at least 30 g/100 g of mild deodorized oil and all those containing refined olive oil as deodorized oil, therefore as oils subjected to at least a mild refining treatment.     

Evaluation of the bellier test in the detection of olive oil adulteration with vegetable oils

Virgin olive oil was mixed with eight vegetable oils (sunflower, soya bean, palm, linseed, cottonseed, corn, sesame, and olive residue) at various levels. The Bellier test was applied to find the minimum detectable adulteration level and the ‘sensitivity score’ for each oil. The test was inapplicable to sunflower and linseed oils regardless of the level in olive oil. It was successful in detecting olive residue, soya bean, palm, cottonseed, corn, and sesame oils at minimal levels of 730, 150, 130, 90, 60 and 10 g kg^?1, respectively. The rancidity level of the adulterant oils did not affect the performance of the test in the case of sunflower, linseed and sesame oils. The sensitivity of the test decreased considerably with increasing peroxide value of the adulterant oil: soya bean, palm, cottonseed, corn and olive residue. However, the change in sensitivity level commenced at so high a peroxide value that it has no significance for practical purposes; at such levels of peroxidation the adulterated olive would be unmarketable and rejected by inspectors due to its poor sensory quality.     

Organophosphorus pesticide residues in Greek virgin olive oil: levels,dietary intake and risk assessment

The occurrence of organophosphorus pesticide (OPs) and their metabolite residues was investigated in 167 samples of Greek virgin olive oil during a 2-year (2004–2005) sampling campaign. A total of 30.5% of samples contained detectable residues, although only one sample contained dimethoate residues above the maximum residue limit. Among the seven detected OPs, fenthion and fenthion sulfoxide residues were detected in 10.8 and 14.4% of the samples, respectively, at levels of 0.003–0.61 mg kg^?1. Dimethoate was detected in 10.2% of the samples at 0.003–0.057 mg kg^?1. The acute dietary risk assessment was undertaken by determining the national estimated short-term intake (NESTI); for chronic dietary risk assessment, the national theoretical maximum daily intake (NTMDI) and national estimated daily intake (NEDI) were calculated. The estimated intakes (NESTI and NEDI) of each pesticide were <7 and <0.86% of the corresponding acute reference doses (ARfDs) and acceptable daily intakes (ADIs), respectively. A cumulative risk assessment was performed using the hazard index (HI) and toxicity equivalence factor (TEF), taking into account that OPs share the same toxicological mechanism. The determined HI and TEF values were found to represent only a small portion of the respective ADIs or ARfDs. These results indicate that there is neither acute nor chronic risk for the Greek population through olive oil consumption.     

Multivariate analysis of NMR fingerprint of the unsaponifiable fraction of virgin olive oils for authentication purposes

A new approach to the geographical characterisation of virgin olive oils (VOOs) based on the ¹H NMR fingerprint of the unsaponifiable matter is presented. The ¹H NMR spectra of the unsaponifiable fraction of virgin olive oils from Spain, Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Turkey, and Syria were analysed by several pattern recognition techniques (LDA, PLS-DA, SIMCA, and CART). PLS-DA (PLS-1 approach) obtained the best classification results for all classes. Moreover, ¹H NMR spectra of the bulk oil, and its corresponding unsaponifiable fraction, as well as the subfractions of the unsaponifiable fraction (alcohol, sterol, hydrocarbon, and tocopherol fractions) were studied in the search for the markers that multivariate techniques revealed to be related to the geographical origin of olive oils. Additionally, a preliminary study regarding ¹H NMR data of the bulk oil and the corresponding unsaponifiable fraction of VOOs suggested that these spectral data contained complementary information for the geographical characterisation of VOOs.     

Chemical and thermal characterization of Tunisian extra virgin olive oil from Chetoui and Chemlali cultivars and different geographical origin

Application of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to discriminate among extra virgin olive oils on the basis of cultivar–environment interaction was preliminary evaluated on Tunisian samples from two varieties (Chetoui and Chemlali) and different geographical origin relating thermal properties obtained by cooling and heating thermograms to chemical composition. Higher content of triunsaturated triacylglycerols and oleic acid and lower amount of palmitic acid were detected in Chetoui samples in comparison with Chemlali oils. Cooling thermograms exhibited two well distinguishable exothermic peaks in all samples; the major event at lowest temperature was taller and sharper in Chetoui samples whereas the other peaking at highest temperature was more evident for Chemlali oils. Crystallization enthalpy did not account for the differences observed in chemical composition between the two cultivars. On the contrary, T _on and T _off of crystallization were found to significantly differ according to the compositional differences due to cultivars and geographical provenience interaction. Heating profiles exhibited a minor exothermic peak followed by multiple endothermic events and appeared also distinctive of oil samples from two cultivars. All thermal properties obtained by the analysis of heating thermograms significantly differed among oil samples from different geographical provenience. The application of DSC appeared useful to differentiate samples of different cultivars and/or geographical proveniences.     

Comparative study of different extraction techniques for the analysis of virgin olive oil aroma

Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), simultaneous distillation/extraction (SDE) and closed-loop stripping analysis (CLSA) coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were used to study virgin olive oil, with the goal of detecting large numbers of characteristic volatile and semi-volatile compounds. More than one hundred compounds were detected in the olive oil extracts, and their percent amounts obtained by each technique were calculated. Qualitative and quantitative differences of virgin olive oil volatile profiles were observed applying the three extraction techniques. SPME showed a higher affinity for alcohols and ketones, while CLSA achieved the highest percentages of esters and hydrocarbons. Finally, the highest extraction of total terpenoid compounds occurred with SDE and CLSA, where CLSA allowed extracting the highest percentages of the most of them. SDE extraction caused the thermal degradation of the oil sample, which resulted in a high percentage of aldehydic compounds.     

Biosensors for monitoring the isothermal breakdown kinetics of peanut oil heated at 180 °C. Comparison with results obtained for extra virgin olive oil

The present research was devoted to studying the kinetics of the artificial rancidification of peanut oil (PO) when a sample of this oil was isothermally heated at 180 °C in an air stream. The formation of radical species due to heating was evaluated using a radical index whose value was determined using a biosensor method based on a superoxide dismutase (SOD), while the increasing toxicity was monitored using a suitable toxicity measuring probe based on the Clark electrode and immobilized yeast cells.     

Rapid assessment of the adulteration of virgin olive oils by other seed oils using pyrolysis mass spectrometry and artificial neural networks

Curie-point pyrolysis mass spectra were obtained from a variety of extra-virgin olive oils, prepared from various cultivars using several mechanical treatments. Some of the oils were adulterated (according to a double-blind protocol) with different amounts of seed oils (50–500 ml of soya, sunflower, peanut, corn or rectified olive oils per litre of mixed oil). Canonical variates analysis indicated that the major source of variation between the pyrolysis mass spectra was due to differences between the cultivars. rather than whether the oils had been adulterated. However, artificial neural networks could be trained (using the back-propagation algorithm) successfully to distinguish virgin oils from those which had been adulterated.     

High-power gradient diffusion NMR spectroscopy for the rapid assessment of extra-virgin olive oil adulteration

A high gradient diffusion NMR spectroscopy was applied to measure diffusion coefficients (D) of a number of extra-virgin olive, seed, and nut oils in order to ascertain the suitability of this rapid and direct method for discrimination of adulterated olive oils. Minimum adulteration levels that could be detected by changes in D were 10% for sunflower (SuO) and soybean oil (SoO), and 30% for hazelnut (HO) and peanut oil (PO). Qualitative and quantitative prediction of adulteration was achieved by discriminant analysis (DA). The highest prediction accuracy (98–100%) was observed only when two DA models were concomitantly used for sample classification. The first DA model provided recognition of high adulterated EVOO with more than 20% of SuO or SoO, and 30% with PO, whilst the second model could differentiate EVOO adulterated with 10% of SuO or SoO, and more than 30% of HO. The validation test performed with an independent set of randomly adulterated EVOO samples gave 100% classification success. The high accuracy levels together with minimal requirements of sample preparation, and short analyses time, prove the high-power gradient diffusion NMR spectroscopy as an ideal method for rapid screening of adulteration in valuable olive oils.