Physicochemical characteristics of extra virgin olive oil in function of tree age and harvesting period using chemometric analysis

• Common's plots shown that the different analyzed olive oils are clustered in different tree age/harvest period groups.
• At an earlier ripening stage, both young and adult olive fruits are characterized by a smaller fruit and a lower oil yield.
• At the ripening state, young-tree olives provide the highest oil amount; whereas, adult-tree olive oil has the best quality.
• The age of the olive tree affects the olive oil and fruit quality.

In an attempt to determine the influence of age and maturity index on olive oil quality and quantity, this research work is undertaken to evaluate the effect of olive tree age and harvesting date on the pomological parameters of olive fruit and the analytical analysis of Oueslati olive oil, such as ripening index, quality indices, oil content, fatty acid composition and oxidative stability were analyzed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the data of the pomological parameters and to the analytical analysis to explore their capacity for the differentiation of the quality of oil according to the tree age and the harvesting period of the Oueslati olives. Common plots have shown that different olive oils are clustered in different tree age/harvest period groups and each group could be clearly distinguished.