SENSORY ANALYSIS AS A TOOL
TO CHARACTERIZE HIGH
QUALITY OLIVE OILS
Maria Luisa Ambrosino
[email protected]
+39 348 7352738; +39 081 5563368
Sensory analysis
Sensory analysis is the analysis of a
(food) product by human senses
The use of appropriate statistical
techniques allows to obtain reliable
judgments
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Applications in olive oil industry
 Classification
 Assessment of tipicity (PDO)
 R&D
 Monitoring shelf-life
 Marketing
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil
obtained from
mechanical phases
(crushing,
malaxation and
centrifugation)
without refinement
High content of
antioxidants
Made from olives
(Olea europaea L.)
Good fatty acids
composition
Absolutely unique
flavour
No off-flavours
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Extra virgin?!?
Virgin olive oils quality is defined by
chemical
acidity, peroxide
value, K232, K270
sensory analysis
Panel test
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Quality index
ACIDITÀ
CATEGORIA
(% ac. oleico)
NUMERO DI
PEROSSIDI
(meq O2/KG)
INDICI
SPETTROFOTOMETRICI
VALUTAZIONE
ORGANOLETTICA
K232
K270
∆K
MEDIANA
DIFETTO
MEDIANA
FRUTTATO
Extra vergine
 0.8
 20
 2.5
 0.22
 0.01
0
>0
Vergine
 2.0
 20
 2.6
 0.25
 0.01
 3.5
>0
Lampante
>2.0
-
-
> 3.5*
-
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COI panel test defines criteria for
determining the absence of offflavour in order to classify EVOO
Panel test
A coloured glass doesn’t
allow to evaluate visual
aspects
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Main off-flavours
OLIVE
rancid
musty
lipids
proteins
sugars
fusty
muddy
winey
vinegary
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Classification
according to the intensity of the defects and of the fruitiness,
as determined by a group of tasters selected, trained and
monitored as a panel, virgin olive oils can be classified as:
EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil
(Me defect = 0; Me fruity > 0)
VIRGIN olive oil
(0 < Me defect ≤ 3,5; Me fruity > 0)
LAMPANTE olive oil
(Me defect > 3,5; Me fruity > 0)
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not only defects
Trained assessors can recognize a lot of
positive sensory attributes in high quality
olive oils. Some of them are foundamental in
typical production (PDO)
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Sensory properties of EVOO are related to minor
compounds:
Com posti
m inori
Max 2%
• Phenols
Saturi
8 - 16%
Polinsaturi
3 - 22%
• Volatiles
Monoinsaturi
53 - 87%
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Olivicoltore
OLIVES
Quality origin
WASHING
Frantoiano
CRUSHING
MALAXATION
CENTRIFUGATION
STORAGE
Confezionatore
FILTRATION
BOTTLING
DISTRIBUTION
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Sensory profiles
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Colline Salernitane
Regolamento (CE) n. 1065/97
Area
86 comuni in provincia di Salerno
Chemistry
Free acidity Max 0,7%
polyphenols min 100ppm
Olive varieties
Rotondella, Frantoio, Carpellese o Nostrale
min 65%
Ogliarola e Leccino Max 35 %
altre varietà locali Max 20%
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Cilento
Regolamento (CE) n. 1065/97
Area
62 comuni a sud della provincia di Salerno nel
Parco Nazionale del Cilento e del Vallo di
Diano
Chemistry
Free acidity Max 0,7%
polyphenols min 80 ppm
Olive varieties
Pisciottana, Rotondella, Ogliarola, Frantoio,
Salella e Leccino min 85%
altre varietà locali Max 15%
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Penisola Sorrentina
Regolamento (CE) n. 1065/97
Area
13 comuni in provincia di Napoli (Penisola
Sorrentina e isola di Capri)
Chemistry
Free acidity Max 0,8%
polyphenols min 60ppm
Olive varieties
Minucciola min 65%
Rotondella, Frantoio o Leccino Max 35 %
altre varietà locali Max 20%
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Irpinia-Colline
dell’Ufita
Area
38 comuni in provincia di Avellino (Arianese,
Ufita e della Media Valle del Calore)
Olive varieties
Sensory
Olive fruity 3 - 6
RAVECE min 60%
Ogliarola, Marinese, Olivella, Ruveia, Vigna
della Corte Max 40%
Leccino e Frantoio Max 10%
Bitter 2-6
Chemistry
Pungent 2-6
Free acidity Max 0,5%
polyphenols min 100 ppm
Tomato 2-5
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The question is:
DOES CONSUMER RECOGNIZE
DIFFERENT OLIVE OIL
TIPOLOGIES?
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How does the consumer choose?
I like it = it’s good
not always
Often we like what we are used to
Consumer is not used to taste the oil
He can’t appreciate the real quality of what he buy
A lot of wrong opinions are diffused among consumers
(acidity can be tasted by the burning of the throat)
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Is it possible to change the perception
of quality?
Sensory properties of high quality EVOO need to be
learned by direct experience (by tasting)
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Oil quality can grow
if oil culture growes
information
trained Panel
research
consumers
knowledge
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To learn more
I profumi dell’olio
Guida all’assaggio
dell’olio extravergine di oliva
In colllaborazione con:
•Regione Campania (SeSIRCA)
•Laboratorio Chimico Merceologico della CCIAA
di Napoli
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For children
DESCRIVIAMO QUEST’OLIO
L’ODORE
Annusa brevemente il tuo olio. L’odore che senti è . . .
pessimo
cattivo
discreto
buono
ottimo
NO  SI  Quale?
Riconosci qualche difetto particolare?

Rancido

Avvinat o


Muffa

Morchia
 _________
Riscaldo
Riconosci qualche profumo particolare? Ed esempio . . .

Mela

Pomodoro

Mandorla

Carciofo

Erba

Rosmarino
IL SAPORE
Assaggia l’olio come ti hanno insegnato. Il sapore che senti è . . .
In colllaborazione con:
•Regione Campania
(SeSIRCA)
•Associazione
Nazionale Città dell’Olio
pessimo
cattivo
Sapresti dare un voto?
discreto
1
2
3
buono
4
5
6
ottimo
7
8
9 10
Cosa sai di quest’olio?
è un DOP?___ ___________
zona di pr oduzione_____________
anno di produzione________
varietà di olive_________________
___________________________________________________________________
Foglio di profilo per bambini della scuola elementare
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For consumers
Dal 2006
Premio EXTRABIO
per promuovere gli oli biologici della
Campania
In colllaborazione con:
•Regione Campania (SeSIRCA)
•Laboratorio Chimico Merceologico
•Unione Regionale delle Camere di Commercio
della Campania
•Coldiretti Campania
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How to taste
1
The first think to do is to warm
the covered glass. In this way
volatiles are trapped under the
hand.
2
Then smell the sample,
taking slow deep breaths
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3
4
Take a small sip of oil. Make
short, successive breaths,
drawing in air through the
mouth, to perceive the volatile
aromatic compounds via the
back of the nose.
Aftre that you can spit out the oil
What do you feel?
Positive or negative sensations?
Try to find the appropriate words to
describe them
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