Journal of Food Processing & Technology

The importance of a controlled distribution chain in the quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

9^th Euro-Global Summit & Expo on Food & Beverages

July 11-13, 2016 Cologne, Germany

Regina Aroca, John C Cancilla, John D Cancilla, Gemma Matute and Jose S Torrecilla

University Complutense of Madrid, Spain

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVOO) plays a fundamental role in the Mediterranean diet. It is well known as a functional food due to its exceptional sensory and nutritional properties. It is also beneficial for health, as it has positive effects regarding cardiovascular diseases and breast cancer prevention. The composition of EVOO is commonly divided into two main fractions: the saponifiable fraction and the non-saponifiable fraction. The first one consists of monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides and free fatty acids, whereas the second one is formed by volatile compounds, polyphenols, tocopherols, sterols and pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenoids. All of these compounds give EVOO its wonderful traits which is why their well preservation in the oil is key to maintaining the properties of this product. Analytical techniques like chromatography and spectroscopy have been used to determine EVOO�??s composition and it has been proven that inadequate temperature and light conditions lead to the degradation of some of its components such as chlorophylls and carotenoids, causing a severe decrease of the quality of the oil. Knowing this, makes the importance of controlling the whole distribution chain evident, as the bottles of EVOO can suffer temperature changes and light exposures during its transportation. This means that there is a possibility of a loss of quality before the EVOO even gets to customer hands, and therefore a good controlled distribution chain is of vital importance for the preservation of this beneficial food.

Biography :

Email: regina.aroca@gmail.com