Chemometric Characterization of Eight Monovarietal Algerian Virgin Olive Oils

Differences in triacylglycerol, fatty acid, squalene, and tocopherol compositions were demonstrated between 8 varieties of virgin olive oils (Aberkane, Aguenaou, Aharoun, Aimel, Bouchouk Guergour, Bouichret, Chemlal, and Sigoise) from Petite Kabylie area, north eastern Algeria. Fatty acid and triacylglycerol morphotypes characterized each variety. A principal component analysis, based on triacylglycerol, fatty acid, and squalene compositions, differentiates between varieties. Minor fatty acids and squalene, usually not taken into account individually in authentication studies, are strongly involved in this differentiation, whereas the discriminant power of tocopherols is weak. Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy classification using chemical compositions as variables showed a high potential to authenticate the varietal origin of Algerian virgin olive oils.