Composition and Quality of Pressed Virgin Olive Oils Extracted with a New Enzyme Processing Aid

Abstract

ABSTRACT Virgin olive oils extracted with an enzyme complex were characterized with respect to the control oils by: (1) higher contents of major individual phenols (free + aglycons), o‐diphenols, total phenols, tocopherols, pleasant volatiles (including those from lipoxygenase pathway), green (chlorophylls and pheophytins) and yellow (carotenoids) lipochromes, higher aliphatic and triterpene alcohols, phytol, citrostadienol, triterpene dialcohols, and steroids; (2) lower contents of unpleasant volatiles and waxes; (3) highervalues of chroma, integral color index, and 1,2‐diglycerides/1,3‐diglycerides ratio; (4) higher sensory, bitter, spicy, and green fruit scorings; and (5) lower values of lightness and turbidity. The organophosphorus pesticide residues were usually not detected in the oils produced with or without enzyme.