Chemical composition of virgin olive oils from the Chemlali cultivar with regard to the method of the olive tree propagation

This paper reports for the first time a discrimination study based on the antioxidant compounds, oxidative stability and volatile compounds of virgin olive oil samples obtained from fruits of the main Tunisian olive cultivar (Chemlali) using two methods of olive tree propagation (suckers and cuttings). There were significant differences between the oils from the two methods. Olive oil samples obtained from the fruits of trees from suckers had a higher content of oleic acid (63.8%), higher contents of chlorophyll and carotenoids (3.01 mg/ kg and 1.9 mg/kg respectively), a higher content of (E)-2 hexenal (66.1%) and a higher content in total phenols (890 mg/kg). Interestingly, more stable oil was obtained from the olives from suckers compared to the olives from cuttings. These results can be used to discriminate and to characterize the Chemlali olive oils from each origin of olive tree.