Absorption of sorbic and benzoic acids in the flesh of table olives

The distribution of sorbic and benzoic acids in the different phases of table olives was studied. To a large extent, these preservatives accumulated in the oil phase of fruits stored in acid conditions, as well as in juice and other tissue components. Thus, around 20-30% of the benzoic acid in olives was found in the juice phase, 30-50% in the oil phase and 30-40% in the rest of the olive flesh. Experiments carried out with black ripe olives revealed that an increase in pH of the medium gave rise to a decrease in the absorption phenomenon in whole olives and in the oil phase. As a consequence of this effect, benzoic acid could be leached from stored black ripe olives during the darkening process, although the calcium content of fruits greatly influenced the diffusion phenomenon. The results obtained in this study are important for future legal limitations of these preservatives in table olives and inhibition capacity of them in commercial table olives.