Oil quality characterization of Arauco variety in the main olive growing zones of Mendoza (Argentina)

BANCO, ADRIANA P.; PUERTA, CARLOS M; TRENTACOSTE, EDUARDO R.; MONASTERIO, ROMINA P.

GRASAS Y ACEITES

INST GRASA SUS DERIVADOS

Lugar: Sevilla; Año: 2021

0017-3495

?Arauco? forms part of the over two thousand olive (Olea europaea L.) varieties recognized worldwide with the peculiarity of being the only autochthonous variety from Argentina. In this work, fruit and oil characteristics from ?Arauco? variety cultivated in the three main olive growing zones of Mendoza province (Argentina) were evaluated over two harvests (2016 and 2017). The characteristics assessed were oil and water concentrations, pulp/pit ratio, industrial yield, oxidative stability, fatty acid profile, total phenols and total flavonoids, among others. The results showed high oleic acid and phenolic compounds content, added to low acidity and extinction coefficients (K232 and K270), as well as a well-balanced fatty acid profile. In addition, three interesting relationships among oxidative stability and ratios of monounsaturated fatty acids/polyunsaturated fatty acids (R2=0.96), oleic/linoleic (R2=0.96) and stearic acid (R2=0.93) were observed. These results showed that the ?Arauco? variety cultivated in Mendoza has an excellent oil quality.