title: On the origin of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and the xylenes in virgin olive oil--further results.
abstract: Investigations into the sources of contamination of virgin olive oil by gasoline components were concluded. Olives on the tree contained volatile aromatic hydrocarbons at concentrations exceeding those corresponding to the equilibrium with the environment. Present knowledge indicates that up to 10 micrograms/kg of benzene and 250 micrograms/kg for the sum of benzene, toluene, and the C2-benzenes must be considered as possible background concentrations. Aside from the oil mills, the rooms for intermediate storage of the olives were found to be an important source of contamination by gasoline vapours, since they often contain vehicles and other gasoline-driven engines. Parking of a small, hot grass mower into a similar room released an amount of gasoline that was sufficient to contaminate the oil in olives above the proposed limit by a factor of 100. Recommendations are derived for the producers to avoid contamination of olive oil with gasoline components.
authors.affiliation: Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zürich, (Kantonales Labor), Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biedermann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grob
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morchio
mesh_terms: D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis*; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D005506:Food Contamination; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000032:analysis*; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis*; D014992:Xylenes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene; C004912:ethylbenzene