Determinant factors of olive oil stability, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity
ISSN: 0034-6659
Article publication date: 14 July 2021
Issue publication date: 3 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify the effect of selected agro-industrial factors associated with the olive oil phenolic composition, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity and oxidative stability index (OSI). The study also aims to assess the relationship between the quality indices and each of the individual phenol, TPC, antioxidant capacity and OSI.
Design/methodology/approach
Olive oil samples (n=108) were collected from Lebanese northern (Akkar and Zgharta-Koura) and southern (Hasbaya and Jezzine) regions, at three harvesting times (early, intermediate, late) and using different types of mills (traditional, sinolea, two- and three-phase decanters). The samples were analyzed using official standard methods.
Findings
The highest TPC, antioxidant capacity and OSI were obtained in early harvested olive oil, using two-phase decanters for TPC and three-phase decanters for antioxidant capacity and OSI. A prediction model, including the free acidity, K232, TPC, C18:2, C18:0, tyrosol and apigenin, was obtained; it allowed to predict very highly significantly the OSI (p < 0.001). Apigenin, tyrosol and C18:2 recorded the highest standardized coefficients (ß^+= 0.35) and thus had the highest influence on OSI. As per antioxidant capacity of olive oil, another very highly statistically significant prediction model was constructed (p < 0.001). It included only two predictors, oleacein and TPC, with the latter having the most influence (ß^+= 0.37).
Originality/value
The overall results highlighted the detrimental effects of agro-industrial factors on olive oil chemical composition, and this contributes significantly to improve olive oil’s quality and characteristics, which are important for the product economical and nutritional values.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The Authors thank deeply the support provided by the US-AID/LIVCD Project (Lebanese Industrial Value Chain Development). Also, the authors are thankful for the help in oil analyses provided by their colleagues in the olive and olive oil department at Tal Amara station of LARI: Ghinwa Al Hawi, Ghina Jebbawi, Joe Wakim, Maroun Jamous, Jennifer Chaanine. Moreover, authors would like to thank Hala Abou Trabi, Fadi Raad, Jawad Dagher, Nayef Saasouh and Wassim Syagha from LARI-Hasbaya station; and, Reem El Derbass and Issam Abou Rached from US-AID/LIVCD project, for their help in the sample collection.
Funding: This research was funded by the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS-L) within the project entitled “Influence of agro-industrial practices on Lebanese olive oil sector”, grant number S2728.
Citation
Maalouf, J., Tomazou, J.C., Azar, S., Bou-Mitri, C., Doumit, J., Youssef, A., Andary, R.B., Skaff, W.A. and El Riachy, M.G. (2022), "Determinant factors of olive oil stability, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 52 No. 1, pp. 86-105. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-01-2021-0030
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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