Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to study differences in the chlorophyll, carotenoid, and phenolic fractions of virgin olive oils from the Arbequina variety cultivated in different olive growing areas of Spain. Virgin olive oil from Lleida was less heavily pigmented, and these oils showed more negative values for the ordinate a* (of the CIELAB colorimetric system). Pheophytin a was the major chlorophyll pigment, and lutein was the major component of the carotenoid fraction in all oils analyzed. The chlorophyll a concentration in virgin olive oils from Lleida was 700 μg kg−1, but was 175 μg kg−1 in oils from Jaén, and 200 μg kg−1 in oils from Tarragona. Finally, the chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio was 9 in oils from Lleida and around 0.6 in the other two Arbequina olive oils. In relation to the phenolic fraction, the hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol contents were significantly higher in olive oils from Jaén (grown at higher altitude and precipitation rates). The secoiridoid derivatives showed a significantly higher concentration in olive oils from Tarragona, probably due to the low altitude where they grow, and finally the ratio of (dialdehydic form of elenolic acid linked to tyrosol)/lignans had a value of 1.4 in olive oils from Lleida, whereas this value was around 0.7 in the other Arbequina olive oils.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alonso, V., and R. Aparicio, Characterization of European Virgin Oils Using Fatty Acids, Grasas Aceites 44:18–24 (1993).
Bortolomeazzi, R., P. Berno, L. Pizzale, and L.S. Conte, Sesquiterpene, Alkene and Alkane Hydrocarbons in Virgin Olive Oils of Different Varieties and Geographical Origins, J. Agric. Food Chem. 49:3278–3283 (2001).
Salvador, M.D., F. Aranda, S. Gomez-Alonso, and G. Fregapane, Influence of Extraction System, Production Year and Area on Cornicabra Virgin Olive Oil: A Study of Five Crop Seasons, Food Chem. 80:359–366 (2003).
Gandul-Rojas, B., and M.I. Minguez-Mosquera, Chlorophyll and Carotenoid Composition in Virgin Olive Oils from Various Spanish Olive Varieties, J. Sci. Food Agric. 72:31–39 (1996).
Mousa, Y.M., D. Gerosopoulos, I. Metzidakis, and A. Kiritsakis, Effect of Altitude on Fruit and Oil Quality Characteristics of “Mastoides” Olives, 71:345–350 (1996).
Mínguez-Mosquera, M.I., L. Rejano-Navarro, B. Gandul-Rojas, A.H. Sánchez-Gómez, and J. Garrido-Fernández, Color-Pigment Correlation in Virgin Olive Oil, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 68:332–336 (1991).
Serani, A., and D. Piacenti, Kinetics of Pheophytin a Photodecomposition in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 69:469–470 (1992).
Mínguez-Mosquera, M.I., B. Gandul-Rojas, J. Garrido-Fernández, and L. Gallardo-Guerrero, Pigments Present in Virgin Olive Oil, 67:192–196 (1990).
Mínguez-Mosquera, M.I., B. Gandul-Rojas, and L. Gallardo-Guerrero, Rapid Method of Quantification of Chlorophylls and Carotenoids in Virgin Olive Oil by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, J. Agric. Food Chem. 40:60–63 (1992).
Gross, J., Pigments in Vegetables: Chlorophylls and Carotenoids, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1991, pp. 75–254.
Krinsky, N.I., Antioxidant Functions of Carotenoids, Free Radical Biol. Med. 7:617–635 (1989).
Parker, R.S., J.E. Swanson, C.S. You, A.J. Edwards, and T. Huang, Bioavailability of Carotenoids in Human Subjects, Proc. Nutr. Soc. 58:155–162 (1999).
Tovar, M.J., M.J. Motilva, and M.P. Romero, Changes in the Phenolic Composition of Virgin Olive Oil from Young Trees (Olea europaea L. cv. Arbequina) Grown Under Linear Irrigation Strategies, J. Agric. Food Chem. 49:5502–5508 (2001).
Morelló, J.R., M.J. Motilva, T. Ramo, and M.P. Romero, Effect of Freeze Injuries in Olive Fruit on Virgin Olive Oil Composition, Food Chem. 81:547–553 (2003).
Finke, P., R. Hartwich, R. Dudal, J. Ibáñez, M. Jamagne, D. King, L. Montanarella, and N. Yassoglou, EUR 18092—Una Base de Datos de Suelos Georeferenciada para Europa, Manual de procedimientos Versión 1.1, European Communities, Rome, 1999, pp. 152–160.
Montedoro, G., M. Servili, M. Baldioli, and E. Miniati, Simple and Hydrolyzable Phenolic Compounds in Virgin Olive Oil. 1. Their Extraction, Separation and Quantitative and Semiquantitative Evaluation by HPLC, J. Agric. Food Chem. 40:1571–1576 (1992).
Holden, M., Analytical Methods—Chlorophylls, in Chemistry and Biochemistry of Plant Pigments Vol. 2, edited by T.W. Goodwin, Academic Press, New York, 1976, pp. 2–32.
Sievers, G., and P.H. Hynninen, Thin-Layer Chromatography of Chlorophylls and Their Derivatives on Cellulose Layers, J. Chromatogr. 134:359–364 (1977).
Hynninen, P.H., IV Preparation and Purification of Some Derivatives of Chlorophylls a and b, Acta Chem. Scand. 27:1771–1780 (1973).
Terpstra, W., and J.W.J. Lambers, Interactions Between Chlorophyllase, Chlorophyll a, Plants Lipids and Mg2+, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 746:23–31 (1983).
Vázquez Roncero, A., C. Janer del Valle, and M.L. Janer del Valle, Determinación de los Polifenoles Totales en Aceite de Oliva, Grasas Aceites 24:350–357 (1973).
Gutiérrez, F., S. Perdiguero, R. Gutiérrez, and J.M. Olías, Evaluation of the Bitter Taste in Virgin Olive Oil, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 69:394–395 (1992).
Laübli, M., and P.A. Bruttel, Determination of the Oxidative Stability of Fats and Oils: Comparison Between the Active Oxygen Method and the Rancimat Method, 63:792–795 (1986).
Anderson, J.M., W.S. Chow, and D.J. Goodchild, Thylakoid Membrane Organization in Sun/Shade Acclimation, Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 15:11–26 (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Criado, M.N., Morelló, J.R., Motilva, M.J. et al. Effect of growing area on pigment and phenolic fractions of virgin olive oils of the arbequina variety in Spain. J Amer Oil Chem Soc 81, 633–640 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-004-954-z
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-004-954-z