title: Volatile profiles of Italian monovarietal extra virgin olive oils via HS-SPME-GC-MS: newly identified compounds, flavors molecular markers, and terpenic profile.
abstract: This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the commercial, sensory, and analytical characteristics of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) from Italy (Marche region), renowned since ancient times. Headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) was applied for the very first time to the sampling of volatile compounds of eleven typical Italian monocultivar EVOOs. Forty-eight compounds were characterised by GC-MS, some of them were only occasionally found in other EVOOs and some other were never detected before in any EVOO. Compounds belonging mainly to alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones and hydrocarbons chemical classes characterised the volatile profiles. The main volatile compounds detected in the EVOOs were the C6 compounds derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids, through the lipoxygenase pathway, in different proportion according to the specific cultivar. The results suggest that genetic factors strongly influence volatile formation and terpene hydrocarbons are claimed to be suitable markers of the geographic origin and genotype of the EVOO. Correlations among sensory attributes evaluated by a panel test and the presence of specific volatile compounds were highlighted for the very first time. The significance of the presence of some newly identified volatile compounds was discussed.
authors.affiliation: ITT MONTANI, Via Montani 7, 63900 Fermo, Italy. teresacecchi@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cecchi
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alfei
mesh_terms: D005421:Flavoring Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods; D013649:Taste; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D005421:Flavoring Agents; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
keywords: Antioxidant activity; HS-SPME; Molecular markers of flavors; Monovarietal extra virgin olive oil; Sensory characterization; Terpenes; Volatile compounds