Niche monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) and EVOOs from the supermarket: what’s the difference?

The characterization of high quality monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) produced in Marche region (Italy) and the comparison with EVOOs from the supermarket, is under investigation. Five cultivars are under study: Mignola, Raggia, Ascolana Tenera, Piantone di Mogliano, Coroncina.1 Special attention is devoted to the determination of molecules responsible for the sensory and healthy properties, as volatile and polyphenol substances. The EU regulation n. 432/2012 authorizes to declare the polyphenols content on the EVOOs label, when exceeding 5 mg in 20 g of oil, therefore openly recognizing the importance of this parameter which deeply influences oil quality. Thus, given the importance and also the difficulty of determining the polyphenol profile and quantifying the different phenolic substances, a specific chromatographic method has been developed and validated to this purpose. The results are compared to those obtained by the colorimetric Folin-Ciocalteu method. Furthermore, several approaches are evaluated to assess the antioxidant activity of the oils under investigation. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been exploited to analyze elements content and composition in the monovarietal oils under investigation. The chemical profile of the oils has been complemented by sensory analysis, performed by an official panel. The results will be correlated in order to identify, when possible, molecules responsible for specific attributes. Results will be presented and discussed. References 1. A. Rotondi, M. Magli, L. Morrone, B. Alfei and G. Pannelli (2013). Italian National Database of Monovarietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils, The Mediterranean Genetic Code - Grapevine and Olive, Dr. Barbara Sladonja (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-1067-5, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/51772.