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Olive Fruit Phenols Transfer, Transformation, and Partition Trail during Laboratory-Scale Olive Oil Processing
Tina Jerman Klen1, Alenka Golc Wondra2, Urška Vrhovšek3
1†Wine Research Centre, University of Nova Gorica, Glavni trg 8, 5271 Vipava, Slovenia.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
|April 21, 2015
Summary
Olive fruit phenols are significantly altered during oil processing, with most lost to waste rather than ending up in the final olive oil. Understanding these phenolic transformations is key for optimizing extraction and quality.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Chemistry
- Food Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Olive oil quality is influenced by phenolic compounds, which contribute to its sensory properties and health benefits.
- Understanding the fate of these phenols during olive oil extraction is crucial for maximizing their retention and quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively study the quantitative behavior of olive fruit phenols during olive oil processing.
- To investigate the transfer, transformation, and partitioning of 69 quantified phenols across different processing stages.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 6 olive matrices from a three-phase extraction line.
- Quantification of 69 phenols using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-diode array detection (UHPLC-DAD).
Main Results:
- Crushing significantly impacted phenolic degradation and transformation more than malaxation.
- Peel and pulp contained 95% of total fruit phenols; stone contained 5%.
- Only 0.53% of phenols transferred to olive oil, with 6% in wastewater and 48% in pomace. Secoiridoids were predominant, with aglycones partitioning to oil and glycosides lost to waste.
Conclusions:
- Olive oil processing leads to substantial loss of phenolic compounds, primarily to pomace and wastewater.
- Phenolic profiles are significantly altered by crushing and malaxation, with specific compounds like secoiridoid aglycones preferentially partitioning into the oil.
