Coast and year effect on H, O and C stable isotope ratios of Tyrrhenian and Adriatic italian olive oils

The paper discusses the H-2/H-1, O-18/O-16 and C-13/C-12 ratios of 196 authentic Italian extra-virgin olive oils produced in 3 years on the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts. The H-2/H-1 and O-18/O-16 ratios were linearly and positively correlated. The year of production influenced mainly O-18/O-16 in relation to the amount of rainfall and the atmospheric humidity in the period of oil accumulation in the olives. The H-2/H-1 ratio significantly distinguished the olive oils produced on the Adriatic coast from those on the Tyrrhenian coast in each year. This coast effect is a consequence of the different sources and isotopic compositions of the rainfall and the different climatic conditions on the two coasts. The paper contributes towards understanding the influence of climatic factors on isotopic variability and towards improving the traceability of the geographical origin of olive oils, using H-2/H-1 as a more innovative parameter. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.