GEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF SICILIAN OLIVE OILS IN TERMS OF STEROLS AND FATTY-ACIDS CONTENT

The sterols and fatty acids contents of 22 extravirgin olive oil samples produced in the Etna area and in other areas of Sicily were determined. Principal component analysis (PCA) of these data provided a 'scores' plot where samples produced in the Etna area were clearly grouped and unknown samples could be classified according to their geographical origin. This classification was confirmed by the residual standard deviation values of all samples fitted into a disjoint principal components model derived from Etna oils only. The above results suggest that the DOC (denominazione di origine controllata) origin mark for Etna extravirgin olive oils can be attributed on the basis of their sterols and fatty acids contents by means of PCA.