Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Evaluation of changes in olive oil quality indicators and fatty acid profile in response to harvest delay

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
mandana tayefe 1
Azin Nasrollah zade 2
اصغری فر asgharifar 3
ملکی maleki 3
1 scientific member
2 Department of Food science and technology, La. C.,Islamic Azad University, Lahijan,Iran
3 M.S.C graduated of Department of Food Science & Technology, La. C.,Islamic Azad University, Lahijan,Iran
10.48311/fsct.2026.117742.82940
Abstract
The quality of olive oil is influenced by its fatty acid composition and the concentration of phenolic compounds. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of harvesting time on the quality characteristics and fatty acid profile of olive oil from the Arbequina cultivar, which is one of the predominant varieties in the Rudbar region of Iran. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with three different harvesting times: mid-November, late November, and mid-December. In this research, acidity, peroxide value, anisidine value, TOTOX index, phenolic compound concentration, and type and content of fatty acids were determined. The results showed that acidity, peroxide value, anisidine value, and TOTOX index increased significantly with delayed harvesting, while the phenolic compound concentration decreased from 2.20 to 1.40 mg GAE/kg oil. In contrast, by the end of the harvesting season, the levels of palmitic acid and oleic acid increased significantly. Moreover, the ratio of oleic acid to linoleic acid showed a significant increase from 3.89 to 5.70. Therefore, harvesting in late November is recommended to obtain olive oil with desirable quality characteristics, an acceptable level of phenolic compounds, and an optimal balance between chemical properties and oxidative stability.
Keywords
Olive oil
harvest time
oxidative stability
free fatty acids
phenolic compounds
Subjects
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