Bioactive constituents, flavors and aromas of virgin oils obtained by processing olives with a natural enzyme extract

To enhance both virgin olive oil quality and yields, a natural enzyme extract (Bioliva) was used during processing of four Italian olive cultivars (Leccino, Caroleo, Dritta and Coratina) carried out with a percolation-centrifugation extraction system. This biological formulation is essentially made up of natural enzyme species capable of degrading the major constituents of the vegetal cell membrane, such as pectin and cellulose. The oils of the second extraction (centrifuged oils), considered in this work, were fully characterized. The enzyme effects resulted in an enhanced incorporation of minor components (phenols, tocopherols, volatiles, carotenes, xanthophylls and chlorophylls) into the oil phase with consequent significant improvement of the analytical parameters related to typicality, flavor and shelflife. No significant modifications concerning triacylglycerols, fatty acids, and non-glycerol compounds mainly related to genuineness were observed. A significant improvement of the oil outputs and the features of by-products was also achieved. Another important outcome to be highlighted is the lower values concerning the emulsified fat, suspended solids, dry matter and COD (chemical oxygen demand) characterising the liquid effluent (olive juice).