New operating conditions to increase quality and sustainability of olive oil production chain Marzia Migliorini1, Chiara Cherubini1, Lorenzo Cecchi1, Giacomo Gianni1, Serena Trapani2 and Bruno Zanoni2 1 - Metropoli - Special Agency of the Chamber of Commerce of Florence - Chemical Laboratory Division; Florence –Italy 2 - Dept. Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Florence; Florence- Italy *marzia.migliorini@fi.camcom.it Introduction The quality of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) can be evaluated not only by estimating its product parameters, which are determined by current applicable regulations, but also by assessing its phenolic and aromatic compound content. The quality and types of phenolic and aromatic compounds contained in extra virgin olive oil is dependent upon both chemical composition of processed olives and operating conditions for processing in olive oil mill. The quality of extra virgin olive oil is determined by a series of chemical and enzymatic changes, which occur during the extraction process (Di Giovacchino et al., 2002). Literature studies have shown that olive oil quality can be improved by controlling and addressing the phenomena of oil synthesis and transformation throughout the oil production chain (Migliorini et al., 2009). This work was carried out within the two-year project “Misura 124” for PSR 2007-2013, promoted and coordinated by Regione Toscana, published in BURT of Regione Toscana no. 7 of 16.02.2011, entitled “Validazione di protocolli per la produzione di oli di oliva ad elevato valore nutrizionale ed a ridotto impatto ambientale. Acronimo OLEOSALUSISTEM.” Results from the first year’s activity are reported below. ACIDITY (% oleic acid) Olive health condition Process time-temperature EVOO filtration Legal Quality EVOO storage conditions (time, O2, light,..) Process operating conditions (times, temperatures, O2 exposures) PEROXIDE VALUE (mEq O2/kg oil) UV adsorption (K232; K270;ΔK) EVOO storage conditions (time, O2, light,…) Process operating conditions (times, temperatures, O2 exposures) Olive cultivar Olive health condition Process operating conditions EVOO storage conditions Phenolic compound content (PCc) PCc means: Antioxidants for oil shelf-life Antioxidants for human health Oil bitterness and pungency Business Quality Aim of the work The aim of this work was to install an innovative extraction system, based on the concept of reduced-oxidative-stress. In addition, some new technologies were designed to use by-products obtained from oil extraction. EVOOs produced by this system were compared with EVOOs from Tuscany region during the same crop season. Olive cultivar Olive health condition Process operating conditions EVOO storage conditions Volatile compound content (VCc) VCc means: Oil aroma and flavour Results Oil samples obtained were compared with average oil products from the same crop season in Florence (Italy) for chemical parameters of quality indicators (acidity, peroxide value, UV in table 1, phenolic compound in table 2, and aromatic compound in table 3). Table 1. Acidity, Peroxide and UV value for reg.2568/91 , Oleosalusistem and Crop season 2011 Table 2. Phenolic compound value (mg/kg) for Oleosalusistem and Crop season 2011. Table 3. Volatile compounds derived from “LOX pathway” (mg/kg) for Oleosalusistem and Selezione regionale. Table 4. %Defects for Oleosalusistem and Selezione regionale. Materials and methods Experimental design During 2011 crop season, several batches of approx. 200 kg olives from Frantoio and Moraiolo cultivars were processed in an oil mill (Azienda Agricola Buonamici, Fiesole, Florence, Italy). Plant for oil extraction (TEM, Florence, Italy) consisted of a cleaning and water washing system, an olive grinding cutter crusher (mod. FR350), a controlled-temperature vertical axis malaxation equipment (500 kg capacity) (mod. V500), a decanter (two-step mod. D1500 ) with 1500 kg/h maximum capacity and a cardboard filter press (15 μm cut-off). Olives were processed within 12 h from harvest at two ripening dates: 16th November 2011 and 23rd November 2011. Oil extraction trials were carried out in quadruple. Olives were crashed at 2500 rpm with holes of 6.5 mm diameter; malaxation was carried out at half capacity under vacuum (residual pressure of 20 kPa) at 22 ± 1°C for a mean value of 15 min; decanter worked with a screw conveyor rotating at a slower speed than that of the bowl. The process step relating to sustainable recycling of plastic residue, or “alperujo”, was only planned during the first year of research project (Fig. 1). Figure 1. Extraction process. Chemical analyses Olive oil samples obtained were subjected to chemical analyses: Fig. 2 shows analyses performed and gives a brief description of the information that can be obtained from analysis results. Acidity (% oleic acid), peroxide value (meq O2/kg-1) and spectroscopic indices were measured according to EU official method (Anonymous, 1991). Extraction, identification and determination of phenolic compounds were performed in agreement with IOC Official Method (Anonymous, 2009). The volatile compound content was determined in agreement with the method described by Vichi et al. (2005), using the HS-SPME-GC-MS technique (i.e. solid phase microextraction of the headspace coupled with a gas chromatograph having a mass spectrometer as a detector). Oleosalusistem Reg. n. 2568/91 Analyses Maximum allowable value Acidity ≤ 0.8 Peroxide value ≤ 20 K232 ≤ 2.50 K270 ≤ 0.22 ΔK ≤ 0.01 Min value Max value Avg value 0.19 0.27 0.22 1.80 6.2 4.5 1.63 1.90 1.79 0.15 0.18 0.16 -0.01 - 0.01   Acidity Peroxide value K232 K 270 Δ K Sample No. 446 362 278 Min value 0,09 1,8 1,29 0,08 -0,05 Max value 0,94 19,1 2,86 0,23 0,01 Average value 0,22 6,5 1,81 0,14 0,00 Crop Season 2011 Oleosalusistem Crop Season 2011 Sample No. 19 Min value 448 Max value 787 Average value 662 Sample No. 257 Min value 139 Max value 952 Average value 491 Selezione Regionale Oleosalusistem Sample No. 59 Min value 11,82 Max value 35,76 Average value 18,43 Sample No. 19 Min value 10,40 Max value 15,39 Average value 12,80 Selezione Regionale Oleosalusistem Total sample No. 19 Defected sample No. 6 % Defective samples 31-36 Total sample No. 135 Defected sample No. 76 % Defective samples 56 Conclusions Based on result analysis, it can be concluded that oil obtained from Oleosalusistem experiments showed following differences, when compared to other oil produced in Tuscany region: 1. Definitely lower legal quality parameters; 2. A 25 % increase in phenolic compounds; 3. A 30 % decrease in volatile compounds; 4. A definitely lower percentage of defective samples. References Di Giovacchino L, Sestili S and Di Vincenzo D,. Inluence of olive processing on virgin olive oil quality. European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology 104, 587-601 (2002). Migliorini M, Cheubini C, Zanoni B, Mugelli M, Cini E, Berti A,. Influence of operating conditions of malaxation on the quality of extra virgin olive oil. Riv. Ital. Sostanze Grasse LXXXVI, 92-102 (2009). Anonymous, Regulation (EC) n.2568. Official Journal EC 248, 6-35 (1991). Anonymous, COI, T20. Doc n.29 (2009). Vichi S, Piazzale L, Conte L. S, Buxaredas S, L’opez-Tamames E.Simultaneus determination of volatile and semi-volatile aromatic hydrocarbons in virgin oil by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Journal Chromatography 1090, 146-154 (2005). 10th Euro Fed Lipid Congress, 23-26 September 2012, Cracow Poland The research leading to these results has received funding from “Bando Misura 124” of PSR 2007-2013 of Regione Toscana, promoted and coordinated by Gal - Start srl, published on the BURT of Regione Toscana n. 7 of 16 J 2011 for the project Oleosalusistem: “Validazione di protocolli per la produzione di oli ad elevato valore nutrizionale ed a ridotto impatto ambientale”