Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric characterisation of triterpene alcohols and monomethylsterols in developing Olea europaea L. fruits

Five triterpene alcohols and four 4-monomethylsterols were identified by GC–MS during the ripening of Picholine olive. The quantitative characterisation of these compounds was performed using GC–FID. The results showed that the maximum level of total triterpene alcohols (263.68 mg/100 g oil) was reached at 26th week after the flowering date (WAF) of olive; whilst the highest level of total 4-monomethylsterols (234 mg/100 g oil) was attained at 24th WAF of fruit. The percentage of these two classes represented 20–33% of total phytosterols during olive maturity. 24-Methylene cycloartenol (12–207 mg/100 g oil) and cycloartenol (27–198 mg/100 g oil) were the predominant triterpene alcohols during the ripening of Picholine olive; whereas citrostadienol (30–161 mg/100 g oil) and cycloeucalenol (11–74 mg/100 g oil) were the main 4-monomethylsterol compounds followed by obtusifoliol and gramisterol. β-Amyrin, δ-amyrin and traroxerol were less present in Picholine olive and they accounted for 14% of total triterpene alcohols at complete maturity of fruit. The level of these methylsterols was overwhelmed by the amount of 4-desmethylsterols at each stage of Picholine olive maturity.