Quality Improvement of Green Table Olive cv. ‘Domat’ (Olea europaea L.) Grown in Turkey Using Different De-Bittering Methods

Abstract

The most basic step in table olive production is de-bittering. Olives contain bitter flavor compounds such as oleuropein, and their presence precludes the consumption of fresh fruits. Oleuropein can be removed by natural methods (e.g., using tap water) or by applying various chemicals (e.g., lye). Chemicals affect the organoleptic and nutritional qualities of the olive fruit. The aim of this study was to improve the quality of naturally fermented ‘Domat’ cultivar green table olives using different de-bittering methods (by scratching, using 1% lye and using tap water). The lye pre-treatment negatively affected the nutritional, organoleptic and color qualities of the olives. In all of applications, the best color stability was obtained in the olives that were de-bittered using the scratching method.