Olive oil phenolic compounds affect the release of aroma compounds

• Volatiles release in model systems simulating virgin olive oil (VOO) was studied.
• Mouth conditions were simulated by addition of human saliva and SPME–GC/MS analysis.
• The presence of VOO phenolics caused lower headspace release of many volatiles.
• Hexanal headspace concentration was always increased in retronasal compared to orthonasal assay.

Twelve aroma compounds were monitored and quantified by dynamic headspace analysis after their addition in refined olive oil model systems with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) biophenols to simulate EVOO aroma. The influence of polyphenols on aroma release was studied under simulated mouth conditions by using human saliva, and SPME–GC/MS analysis. While few differences were observed in orthonasal assay (without saliva), interesting results were obtained for retronasal aroma. Biophenols caused generally the lowest headspace release of almost all volatile compounds. However, only ethyl esters and linalool concentrations were significantly lower in retronasal than orthonasal assay. Saliva also caused higher concentration of hexanal, probably due to hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) action on linoleyl hydroperoxides. Epicatechin was compared to EVOO phenolics and the behaviour was dramatically different, likely to be due to salivary protein–tannin binding interactions, which influenced aroma headspace release. These results were also confirmed using two extra virgin olive oils.

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