Factors affecting the contents of iridoid oleuropein in olive leaves (Olea europaea L.).

In this study, for the first time, the impact of the genetic factor on the contents of oleuropein in olive leaves was not only evaluated but the influence exerted by the color/age of leaves (green, green-yellowish, and yellow) and the collecting period (spring or autumn) was also evaluated. A repetitive high-resolution gas chromatographic quantitation method and an accurate high-performance liquid chromatographic method were developed. These analytical methods gave results showing a highly linear relationship. Samples of olive leaves were taken from seven major Italian olive cultivars, such as Dritta, Leccino, Caroleo, Coratina, Castiglionese, Nebbio, and Grossa di Cassano. Such a vegetal raw material could actually be exploited for recovering oleuropein, considered to be a high-added value molecule. This could be converted into hydrxytyrosol, a compound known to possess strong bioactive properties. Olive leaves showed considerable contents of oleuropein, which with some cultivars were even higher with respect to those present in the corresponding olive fruits (reported in the literature). The amounts of oleuropein in the collected leaves were markedly modified by the color/age and genetic factors, whereas meaningless variations were ascribable to the quantitation method and the collecting period factors. Various chemometrics, applied to the obtained analytical data, appeared to be effective in discriminating the samples on the basis of the above-examined experimental factors, thus confirming how these should be taken into account in future industrial recovery of oleuropein from olive leaves.

Characterization of carrot root oil arising from supercritical fluid carbon dioxide extraction.

Carrot root oil (SCO), obtained by supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction, was characterized and compared to a commercial carrot oil (MCO) and a virgin olive oil (VOO) (cv. Coratina). SCO showed much higher contents of carotenes, phenolics, waxes, phytosterols, and sesquiterpene and monoterpene volatiles. In SCO, the most prominent components present in the fully investigated analytical fractions (fatty acids, triglycerides, waxes, phytosterols, long-chain aliphatic alcohols, superior triterpene alcohols, and volatiles) were, respectively, linolenic acid, trilinolein, waxes C38, beta-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, 1-hexacosanol, 24-methylencycloartanol and cycloartenol, beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene, alpha-pinene, and sabinene. In VOO, the major constituents of the above analytical classes were, respectively, oleic acid, trilinolein, waxes C36, unsaturated volatile C6 aldehydes (trans-2-hexenal most markedly), and the same prominent sterols and superior alcohols found in SCO. In MCO, which also contained a proportion of unknown plant oil, several components showed magnitudes that were lower compared to SCO but higher with respect to VOO. The last had the aliphatic and triterpene alcohol concentration higher compared to that of both SCO and MCO. Several chemometric methods, applied to different analytical data sets, proved to be effective in grouping the three oil kinds.

Antioxidizing potency of phenol compounds in olive oil mill wastewater.

The antioxidizing potency of phenol compounds contained in olive oil mill wastewater (OOMWW) has been elucidated. Commercially available phenol standards at varying concentrations and the Rancimat oxidation test have been used. Refined purified olive oil was utilized as an oxidation lipid substrate. Synthetic antioxidants, such as 2,3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA), 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT), l-ascorbic acid, and gallates (commonly used as food preservatives), and other known chemicals endowed with antioxidizing properties have been employed as reference compounds. The OOMWW phenol compounds have been classified into different groups depending on their antioxidizing potency. This was significantly affected by the tested concentrations of the standards. Mixtures of phenol standards and other antioxidants (l-proline, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and alpha-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherol) have also been tested. Many phenol compounds present in OOMWW showed antioxidizing potency higher compared to that of the less safe synthetic antioxidants and could therefore replace these in the industrial preservation of food items. They could also be used in combination with other natural antioxidants (e.g., tocopherols). In fact, some mixtures of antioxidants, owing also to the synergistic phenomena, showed strong antioxidizing potency.

Improving virgin olive oil quality by means of innovative extracting biotechnologies.

Three major virgin olive oil varieties (Dritta, Leccino, and Coratina) extracted by a modern centrifugation system aided with a new plant enzyme preparation (having prevalently pectolytic activity) were characterized. These oils showed a clearly enhanced quality standard, owing to higher levels of some important minor components (phenolics, volatiles, tocopherols, carotenes, and chlorophylls) and to frequently lower concentrations of oxidized triglycerides and diglycerides. The oils were therefore characterized by lower susceptibility to oxidation and longer shelf life, and their flavor, aroma, and color features appeared to be significantly improved. The saponifiable fraction was practically not affected as the enzymatic effects involved only the membranes of the oil droplets, where the nonglyceridic compounds are essentially located.

Acylglycerol and fatty acid components of pulp, seed, and whole olive fruit oils. Their use to characterize fruit variety by chemometrics.

The contents of triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols in three kinds of olive fruit oils (pulp, seed, and whole fruit) were determined. The fatty acid composition and the quality ratios 1,2-diacylglycerols/1,3-diacylglycerols and 1,2-diacylglycerols/total diacylglycerols were also assessed. Seven major Italian olive varieties were considered. Results of univariate statistical analyses indicated that the above analytical parameters (glyceridic ratios excepted) were effective in discriminating between pulp and seed oils. The seed oil fraction did not determine any change in the glyceridic indices and the acylglycerol or fatty acid composition concerning the whole fruit oil (mixture of pulp and seed oil fractions), the weight (%) of seed ( approximately 2%) being by far lower than the weight (%) of pulp ( approximately 85%) (fruit weight basis). Based on the data of triacylglycerol or fatty acid composition, and using appropriate parametric or nonparametric multivariate statistics, the genetic origins (olive variety) of the three fruit oil kinds were characterized.