SENSORY ANALYSIS AS A TOOL TO CHARACTERIZE HIGH

SENSORY ANALYSIS AS A TOOL TO CHARACTERIZE HIGH QUALITY OLIVE OILS • Maria Luisa Ambrosino • • asa@analistisensoriali. com +39 348 7352738; +39 081 5563368

Sensory analysis is the analysis of a (food) product by human senses The use of appropriate statistical techniques allows to obtain reliable judgments Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Applications in olive oil industry ïClassification ïAssessment of tipicity (PDO) ïR&D ïMonitoring shelf-life ïMarketing Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Extra Virgin Olive Oil obtained from mechanical phases (crushing, malaxation and centrifugation) without refinement High content of antioxidants Made from olives (Olea europaea L. ) Good fatty acids composition Absolutely unique flavour No off-flavours Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Extra virgin? !? Virgin olive oils quality is defined by chemical acidity, peroxide value, K 232, K 270 sensory analysis Panel test Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Quality index ACIDITÀ CATEGORIA (% ac. oleico) NUMERO DI PEROSSIDI (meq O 2/KG) INDICI SPETTROFOTOMETRICI VALUTAZIONE ORGANOLETTICA K 232 K 270 ∆K MEDIANA DIFETTO MEDIANA FRUTTATO Extra vergine 0. 8 20 2. 5 0. 22 0. 01 0 >0 Vergine 2. 0 2. 6 0. 25 0. 01 3. 5 >0 Lampante >2. 0 - - > 3. 5* - Analisti Sensoriali Associati

COI panel test defines criteria for determining the absence of offflavour in order to classify EVOO Panel test A coloured glass doesn’t allow to evaluate visual aspects Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Main off-flavours rancid OLIVE lipids proteins sugars musty OXIDATION FERMENTATION MICROBIAL ACRIVITY fusty muddy winey vinegary Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Classification according to the intensity of the defects and of the fruitiness, as determined by a group of tasters selected, trained and monitored as a panel, virgin olive oils can be classified as: EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil (Me defect = 0; Me fruity > 0) VIRGIN olive oil (0 < Me defect ≤ 3, 5; Me fruity > 0) LAMPANTE olive oil (Me defect > 3, 5; Me fruity > 0) Analisti Sensoriali Associati

not only defects Trained assessors can recognize a lot of positive sensory attributes in high quality olive oils. Some of them are foundamental in typical production (PDO) Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Sensory properties of EVOO are related to minor compounds: • Phenols • Volatiles Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Olivicoltore OLIVES Quality origin WASHING Frantoiano CRUSHING MALAXATION CENTRIFUGATION STORAGE Confezionatore FILTRATION BOTTLING DISTRIBUTION Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Sensory profiles Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Colline Salernitane Regolamento (CE) n. 1065/97 Area 86 comuni in provincia di Salerno Chemistry Free acidity Max 0, 7% polyphenols min 100 ppm Olive varieties Rotondella, Frantoio, Carpellese o Nostrale min 65% Ogliarola e Leccino Max 35 % altre varietà locali Max 20% Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Cilento Regolamento (CE) n. 1065/97 Area 62 comuni a sud della provincia di Salerno nel Parco Nazionale del Cilento e del Vallo di Diano Chemistry Free acidity Max 0, 7% polyphenols min 80 ppm Olive varieties Pisciottana, Rotondella, Ogliarola, Frantoio, Salella e Leccino min 85% altre varietà locali Max 15% Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Penisola Sorrentina Regolamento (CE) n. 1065/97 Area 13 comuni in provincia di Napoli (Penisola Sorrentina e isola di Capri) Chemistry Free acidity Max 0, 8% polyphenols min 60 ppm Olive varieties Minucciola min 65% Rotondella, Frantoio o Leccino Max 35 % altre varietà locali Max 20% Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Irpinia-Colline dell’Ufita Area 38 comuni in provincia di Avellino (Arianese, Ufita e della Media Valle del Calore) Olive varieties Sensory Olive fruity 3 - 6 Bitter 2 -6 Pungent 2 -6 Tomato 2 -5 RAVECE min 60% Ogliarola, Marinese, Olivella, Ruveia, Vigna della Corte Max 40% Leccino e Frantoio Max 10% Chemistry Free acidity Max 0, 5% polyphenols min 100 ppm Analisti Sensoriali Associati

The question is: DOES CONSUMER RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT OLIVE OIL TIPOLOGIES? Analisti Sensoriali Associati

How does the consumer choose? I like it = it’s good not always Often we like what we are used to Consumer is not used to taste the oil He can’t appreciate the real quality of what he buy A lot of wrong opinions are diffused among consumers (acidity can be tasted by the burning of the throat) Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Is it possible to change the perception of quality? Sensory properties of high quality EVOO need to be learned by direct experience (by tasting) Analisti Sensoriali Associati

Oil quality can grow if oil culture growes information trained Panel research consumers knowledge Analisti Sensoriali Associati

To learn more I profumi dell’olio Guida all’assaggio dell’olio extravergine di oliva In colllaborazione con: • Regione Campania (Se. SIRCA) • Laboratorio Chimico Merceologico della CCIAA di Napoli Analisti Sensoriali Associati

For children In colllaborazione con: • Regione Campania (Se. SIRCA) • Associazione Nazionale Città dell’Olio Analisti Sensoriali Associati

For consumers Dal 2006 Premio EXTRABIO per promuovere gli oli biologici della Campania In colllaborazione con: • Regione Campania (Se. SIRCA) • Laboratorio Chimico Merceologico • Unione Regionale delle Camere di Commercio della Campania • Coldiretti Campania Analisti Sensoriali Associati

How to taste 1 The first think to do is to warm the covered glass. In this way volatiles are trapped under the hand. 2 Then smell the sample, taking slow deep breaths Analisti Sensoriali Associati

3 4 Take a small sip of oil. Make short, successive breaths, drawing in air through the mouth, to perceive the volatile aromatic compounds via the back of the nose. Aftre that you can spit out the oil What do you feel? Positive or negative sensations? Try to find the appropriate words to describe them Analisti Sensoriali Associati