Variability of virgin olive oil phenolic compounds in a segregating progeny from a single cross in Olea europaea L. and sensory and nutritional quality implications

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 20;9(3):e92898. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092898. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Virgin olive oil phenolic compounds are responsible for its nutritional and sensory quality. The synthesis of phenolic compounds occurs when enzymes and substrates meet as olive fruit is crushed during the industrial process to obtain the oil. The genetic variability of the major phenolic compounds of virgin olive oil was studied in a progeny of the cross of Picual x Arbequina olive cultivars (Olea europaea L.). They belong to four different groups: compounds that included tyrosol or hydroxytyrosol in their molecules, lignans, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Data of phenolics in the oils showed that the progeny displayed a large degree of variability, widely transgressing the genitor levels. This high variability can be of interest on breeding programs. Thus, multivariate analysis allowed to identify genotypes within the progeny particularly interesting in terms of phenolic composition and deduced organoleptic and nutritional quality. The present study has demonstrated that it is possible to obtain enough degree of variability with a single cross of olive cultivars for compounds related to the nutritional and organoleptic properties of virgin olive oil.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Breeding
  • Crosses, Genetic*
  • Nutritive Value*
  • Olea / chemistry*
  • Olea / genetics*
  • Olive Oil
  • Phenols / analysis
  • Phenols / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / chemistry*
  • Taste

Substances

  • Olive Oil
  • Phenols
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plant Oils

Grants and funding

The financial support of the OLEAGEN project by Genoma España and AGL2011-24442 from the Programa Nacional de Recursos y Tecnologías Agroalimentarias funded by the Spanish Government. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.