Authentication of European Virgin Olive Oils by Their Chemical Compounds, Sensory Attributes, and Consumers' Attitudes

Abstract

Twenty-four samples of four European virgin olive oil varieties Arbequina, Coratina, Koroneiki, and Picual, cultivated in Greece, Italy, and Spain have been analyzed from their chemical composition (either nonvolatile compounds (31) fatty acids, sterols, alcohols, and methylsterols or volatile ones (65) aldehydes, alcohols, furans, hydrocarbons, acids, ketones, and esters), sensory attributes (103), and consumers' attitudes, the latter in terms of their overall acceptability and sensory comments from their acceptability trials. The paper describes and explains the most remarkable of these parameters characterizing the virgin olive oil varieties, which can be useful in virgin olive oil authentication. The agreement between the concentration of chemical compounds and sensory attributes is explained wherever possible. Keywords: Virgin olive oil; authenticity; flavor; analysis; consumers' attitudes