Phytochemical profile and mineral content of Royal variety olive fruits. Influence of the ripening stage

The phenolic composition and mineral content of Royal variety olive fruits were investigated during olives ripening, between October 2018 and January 2019. The phytochemical profile was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array and mass spectrometry detection (HPLC-DAD-MSn), whereas the inorganic content was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Twenty-one compounds were identified and the most abundant quantified. Oleuropein, along with its isomers and glycosides, were the main compounds. The highest phenolic content was observed in January 2019, which is the usual harvesting date (optimum maturity of the fruits). However, no clear tendency was observed regarding the mineral content.

Automated summary

The study found that the phenolic content of Royal variety olive fruits reached its peak in January as the olives ripened, while there was no clear trend observed regarding the mineral content.