Matter transfer during virgin olive oil elaboration

Abstract

In the course of the process of elaboration of virgin olive oil (whose main stages are crushing, malaxation and centrifugation) the transfer of several minor components to the triacylglycerol constituent of the oily globules originally present in the cells of the fruit mesocarp is produced. Such minor components are chemical species present in the olive fruits, as well as those resulting from chemical or enzymatic processes which take place in the olive paste upon crushing. In this paper several types of transferable minor components, as well as those parameters affecting the rates of transfer are studied.Geometric and physical variations of interfacial regions between the oil and other systems in contact with it are discussed. These systems are olive vegetation water, olive pulp components, and fragments of the woody endocarp, as well as the atmospheric air and the tools and equipment of the oil mill. This article concludes with some considerations about the improvements of virgin olive oils achieved by controlling the transfer of minor components. KEY-WORDS: