CHARACTERISTICS OF DRUPES, PHENOLIC CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF ITALIAN OLIVE FRUITS

Drupe characteristics, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of olive fruits were studied for 12 Italian oil cultivars grown in two areas (Cerignola and Torremaggiore) of Daunia district. The effects of plantation place were higher than those exerted by cultivars on drupe characteristics such as weight, pulp/stone ratio, oil content and maturation index. Olive fruits from Cerignola, which is located at a lower altitude than Torremaggiore, showed the highest phenolic content. The highest phenolic content (14 g gallic acid/kg dry olive) was detected on Peranzana and Cellina di Nardo grown in Cerignola groves. The lowest values were registered for FS17 and Cima di Melfi (about 7 g/kg). 1-Acetoxypinoresinol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyl 4-formyl-3-formylmethyl-4-hexenoate, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol (3,4-DHPEA-EDA), hydroxytyrosol and luteolin, were the phenolic compounds detected in a greater amount and in most of the cultivars. Independently on the assay applied, the highest antioxidant activity was detected for Cellina di Nardo (Cerignola). The lowest antioxidant activity values were different depending on the method applied. According to the 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay, the lowest value was detected for Moraiolo from Torremaggiore, whereas Nociara showed the lowest contribution to the inhibition of lipid oxidation (beta-carotene beaching assay). A strong positive linear correlation (R = 0.82) existed between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity measured according to the ABTS method, whereas a low linear correlation coefficient (R = 0.36) was obtained when the beta-carotene bleaching assay was used.