Volatile compounds in table olives (Olea Europaea L., Nocellara del Belice cultivar)

Table olive quality depends on a number of factors, including fruit characteristics, ripening and processing technologies. Volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, present both in the sample matrix and in the headspace aroma, are responsible for the olive fruit flavour influencing the consumer's preference. In this study, volatile compounds, in Spanish-style, Greek-style and Castelvetrano-style green olives of the Nocellara del Belice cultivar, were analytically characterized. Twenty-two compounds, comprising alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters as well as acids, formed during olive fermentation (after six, seven and eight months of brining), were extracted by the dynamic headspace technique and identified by gas chromatography and GC/mass spectrometry. Results suggested that different processing technologies significantly affected the volatile compounds of samples. In particular, meaningful differences in aromatic profiles could cause qualitative and quantitative differences in quality. Thus, a deepened knowledge of chemical features, together with an insight of the biosynthetic pathways of table olive flavour compounds, may be very useful for design and production of a success product. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.