Variety Characterization and Influence of Olive Maturity in Virgin Olive Oils from the Area Assigned to the Protected Designation of Origin “Aceite de la Alcarria” (Spain)
José Emilio Pardo,
Jacinto Tello,
Mariano Suárez,
Adrián Rabadán,
Concepción De Miguel,
Manuel Álvarez-Orti
Affiliations
José Emilio Pardo
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Jacinto Tello
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Mariano Suárez
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Adrián Rabadán
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Concepción De Miguel
Escuela de Ingenierías Agrarias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avenida Adolfo Suárez, s/n, 06007 Badajoz, Spain
Manuel Álvarez-Orti
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
In this first contribution to the study of virgin olive oils from the area assigned to the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) “Aceite de la Alcarria” (Spain), both monovarietal oils obtained under ideal conditions in a pilot plant, as well as blend oils made in the oil mills located in the study area, were characterized. Special interest was focused on the influence of the ripening state of the fruits. The oils from the Castellana variety, the main variety found in the study area, were characterized by a high content of tocopherols, medium oxidative stability and high content in palmitic, palmitoleic and linolenic acids. As the ripening process progresses, the oils lose fruitiness, bitterness, pungency, stability, and some organoleptic defects appear, to the point of lowering the category (from extra virgin to virgin) in some of the Castellana samples. Thus, early collection of olives of this variety is recommended.
