Evaluation of Filtration on Volatile Compounds in Virgin Olive Oils using an Electronic Nose

摘要

Aroma is an important quality criterion for extra virgin olive oil. Its unique aroma is attributed to the volatile compounds that develop during and after oil extraction from the olive fruits. After the extraction, almost all virgin olive oils are filtered before storage to provide a longer shelf life. However, knowledge about the impact of filtration on volatile compounds is very limited. In this study, an electronic nose was used to investigate the effect of filtration on changes of volatile compounds in olive oils. Using a HERACLES II electronic nose, the volatile profiles from unfiltered and filtered olive oil were obtained. The results indicated that after filtration, the concentrations of important volatile compounds with sizes of C6 and less, including aldehydes, alcohols, ketones and esters, were significantly decreased in extra virgin olive oil.