Olives – By Armani Martin

BATIDO PICUAL Effect of paste processing on yield

CALIDAD 27ºC Impact of processing temperature

NUEVO MOLINO Influence of a new crushing technique

INFLUENCIA TEMP Influence of olive crushing temperature on phenols in olive oils

GENERACION COMP VOL Biogeneration of Volatile Compounds in Virgin Olive Oil

EXPOSICION AL AIRE Air Exposure Time of Olive Pastes During the

ESTEROLES AUSTRALIA Technological Factors Affecting Sterols in Australian Olive Oils

EFECTO HOJAS Effect of Mixing Leaves with Olives

EFECTO EN RTO Y CALIDAD Influence of malaxation conditions on virgin olive oil yield, quality and composition

EFECTO EN RENDIMIENTO Influence of olive crushing methods on the yields and oil

EFECTO EN FENOLES Effect of Malaxation Conditions on Phenol and Volatile Profiles

EFECTO EN ESTABILIDAD Oxidative stability of virgin olive oils influence

EFECTO EN COMPON MENORES Effect of crushing on olive paste and virgin olive oil

GENERACION COMP VOL Biogeneration of Volatile Compounds in Virgin Olive Oil

ESTEROLES AUSTRALIA Technological Factors Affecting Sterols in Australian Olive Oils

EFECTO EN RENDIMIENTO Influence of olive crushing methods on the yields and oil

BATIDO PICUAL Effect of paste processing on yield

GENERACION COMP VOL Biogeneration of Volatile Compounds in Virgin Olive Oil

DISTINTOS COAD impact of Talc in Spanish

DISCOS VERSUS MARTILLOS Hammer crushers vs disk crushers

COMPUESTOS TRITERPENICOS Influence of olive paste preparation conditions on virgin olive oil triterpenic

CALIDAD SENSORIAL Effect of Extraction Conditions on Sensory Quality

CALIDAD 27ºC Impact of processing temperature

TIEMPO Y TEMP Influence of malaxation temperature and time

Veillet-S._2009_C.-R.-Chim Chemical changes in virgin olive oils as a function of

USO DE CO2 Improving olive oil quality using CO2

New Zealand Olive Grove Census Report 2012

The year 2010 constitutes the third and final year of this research examining olives grown in
New Zealand. The primary aim was to develop new locally appropriate measures of assessing
the maturity of New Zealand fruit. A secondary aim was to collect a robust range of data on
phytochemicals in the oil of cultivars from most growing regions in New Zealand. With this
purpose, in this last year of research the phenolic composition was monitored to examine how it
changed as fruit matured in different growing environments throughout New Zealand.
Fruit samples were received from orchards in Northland, Auckland, Waiheke, Hawke’s Bay,
Wairarapa, Nelson, Marlborough and Otago. Fruit were collected by the growers at several
stages of maturity (usually two to three weeks apart) from the small very immature green stage
through to the black stage of fruit coloration (from February/March to July 2010). The aim was to
determine the impact of progression and timing of fruit maturation harvested from different
regions on fruit characteristics at harvest, and on the chemical profiles of the oil.
Physical measures such as dry matter, fruit weight and colour maturity index were performed on
the fruit immediately after harvest. Oils were obtained by the accelerated solvent extraction
(ASE) method and analysed for changes in total phenolics over the harvest period. Selected oils
from harvests close to commercial harvest dates for each grower were also analysed for fatty
acid, tocopherol and sterol compositions.
In summary,

• As fruit matured, there was a progressive accumulation of oil with a levelling off later in

the season in most cultivars and growing locations. Oil accumulated at different rates
between regions, with the earliest maturing orchard in the Auckland region reaching
maximum oil content six weeks earlier than the latest maturing orchard in the Otago
region.

• There was significant variation in the oil content of olives between cultivars, growing

regions, and growers within a region. In general, orchards in the northern regions
(Northland and Auckland) developed fruit with higher oil content than those in the
southern regions. The maximum oil content (on a dry basis) for ‘Frantoio’ and ‘Leccino’
ranged from approximately 28% to 48%, and ‘Koroneiki’ ranged from approximately 32
to 52%. There was much less variability in oil content for the orchards in the South
Island.

• The 2010 data confirmed that total solids per fruit (expressed in grams) is a better

measure than % dry matter content and shows strong correlations with % oil content
and fruit maturity. This simple tool can be used by growers to track oil accumulation
over the season and make decisions on harvest timing.

• There were poor correlations between oil content and the colour maturity index for the

North and South Island orchards, especially for ‘Frantoio’ for the data combined for the
whole country.
Total phenolics contents measured in the oil decreased with maturity and it was
observed that the incidence of rain at the time of harvest could also influence this rate of
decline.

• The dry matter measured as a percentage did not relate well with (%) oil content,

probably because of differences in water content of the fruit grown in the different
climates and the influence of rainfall. It was observed that % dry matter values had
different correlations with oil content was region-dependent.

• Variability in climates and microclimates throughout New Zealand has influence on the

olive fruit development and maturation rates. Thus, fruit maturity is achieved at different
times during the season depending on the orchard location, but normally earliest in the
northern regions and latest in the South Island regions.

• In general, fruit weights tended to be largest in the northern regions and decreased as

the regions progressed south.

• Cultivar differences were found in the different cultivars in terms of sterols. Oil extracted

from ‘Barnea’ was found to contain the highest concentration of plant sterols – between
1402 and 1873 mg/kg, while ‘Koroneiki’ contained the least 685 – 1114 mg/kg. In the
ASE extracted oils, the campesterol present was found to be greater than 4% in both
‘Barnea’ and ‘Koroneiki’ oils. This is consistent with reports from other olive oil
producers. The ASE-extracted oils from the other cultivars had sterol percentages
within the international standards for olive oil.

• No regional differences were seen with the tocopherol (Vitamin E) composition in the

oils, but differences were observed in the cultivars. ‘Frantoio’ and ‘J5’ oil had the lowest
concentrations of tocopherols, 155 – 290 mg/kg, while the other cultivars analysed had
concentrations ranging from 306 to 758 mg/kg.
This three-year study has provided extensive information on New Zealand olives in terms of
changes in maturity and the chemical makeup of the oils, particularly from the last season. The
range of techniques examined for measuring maturity led to the recommendation that two are
most appropriate for use by growers and/or processors – total solids per fruit (g) and fruit
firmness. The information obtained is very useful for a number of applications, including
development of quality standards, access to markets, and maximising oil yield, quality, stability
and flavour. Results obtained here in New Zealand have shown significant differences from
those of the Mediterranean and Australian olive industries.
For further information please contact:

Full report

5244_-_Allan_Woolf_-_Effects_of_Harvest_Maturity_on_Extra_Virgin_Olive PFR 2011 25568 FINAL

Cecilia Requejo-Jackman
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd
Plant & Food Research Auckland
Private Bag 92 169
Auckland Mail Centre
Auckland 1142
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: +64-9-925 7000
Fax: +64-9-925 7001
Email crequejo-jackman@plantandfood.co.nz