Harvest time impacts the fatty acid compositions, phenolic compounds and sensory attributes of Frantoio and Manzanilla olive oil

Abstract

The effect of harvest time at different ripening stages of fruit influences quality of olive oil. Therefore, the current investigations were conducted during 2013 and 2014 to explore the effects of five different harvesting times (mid- and late-April, mid- and late-May and mid-June) on chemical and sensory attributes of Frantoio and Manzanilla olive oil. The fatty acids of olive oil showed significant increase (palmitic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid and PUFA) or decrease (oleic acid, MUFA, and MUFA:PUFA ratio) with the delay in harvesting irrespective of the cultivars. A significant gradual decrease was noted in major polyphenol compounds from the first to the fifth harvest. The concentr..