Effect of different temperatures and storage atmospheres on Coratina olive oil quality

Olives (Olea europaea cv. Coratina) used for oil production were stored for 30 days at three different temperatures and under different atmospheres (ambient temperature, 5 degrees C with a flux of humidified air, 5 degrees C with a flux of 3%O-2 + 5%CO2). The olives were kept in jars used for fruit storage, each with a capacity for 1.5 kg of olives. Conventional analyses (acidity, peroxide value, specific extinction coefficient at 232 nm and 270 nm) and non conventional (polar compounds) analyses were carried out in order to measure the hydrolytic and oxidative degradation of the oils obtained from the olives. Storage at 5 degrees C, both under a flow of humidified air and a flow of 3%O-2 + 5%CO2, produced oils that maintained their initial chemical qualities until the end of the experimentation; whereas storage of olives at room temperature led to their deterioration after 15 days of storage. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.