Chemical characterization of traditional varietal olive oils in East of Spain

- Olive oils of West Mediterranean were characterized according to chemical compounds.
- Variety influences in the composition of fatty acid, sterol and α-tocoferol.
- ANOVA and PCA applied to all components allows in the varietal differentiation.

The aim of this work has been to characterize the chemical composition of the eight most emblematic varietal olive oils from the West of the Mediterranean Sea. These were classified into two groups according to the International Olive Council (IOC norms): Sweet oils (Farga, Morruda and Serrana) which were compared with Arbequina as standard of the Spanish sweet oils; and bitter-spicy oils (Alfafara, Blanqueta, and Villalonga) that were compared with Picual, considered as the standard of the bitter-spicy olive oils. For the study, sampled trees were chosen in their geographically separated originating areas. They were cultivated in the traditional conditions. The variety of each sampled tree was previously identified by the International Union for the Protection of new Varieties for Plants (UPOV TG/99/4). We have attempted to find differences between these varieties based on their fatty acid and sterol components. Although our results of only the sterols in olive oils suggested that stigmasterol could allow the segregation of the varieties, our experience indicates that analysis of the main fatty acids (palmitic, oleic and linoleic), together with a PCA applied to all fatty acids and sterols, can be used to validate the varietal determinations with enough precision. In addition, α-tocopherol can be used as differentiator in bitter-spicy oils.