Levels of lipochromes and other bioactives in virgin olive oil from new olive germplasm

The composition of virgin olive oils from three new olive cultivars, such as Arno, Tevere and Basento, has been investigated in this work. Our attention was focused on chlorophylls, carotenes, xanthophylls and other major bioactives, as well as on some analytical indices related to functionality, quality and typicality of the new products. Our analytical study showed how the new oil kinds, especially Arno oil, had an interesting qualitative-quantitative composition of the pigment fraction. Pheophytin a (within the chlorophyll subfraction) and lutein (within the carotenoid subfraction) were found to be the major natural pigments occurring in the new products. Interesting were also the concentrations of biophenols, tocopherols, and tocotrienols detected in the three new oil varieties, as well as the values of the remarkable ratio fatty acids omega(6)/fatty acids omega(3) and biophenols/polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (and those of the analytical variables endurance and susceptibility to autoxidation). The chemometric analyses showed how different multivariate methods were effective in discriminating between oil varieties. Thus, these chemometrics can effectively be used for traceability or authentication of the new products. We concluded how the three new olive cultivars can actually lead to new advances in the olive growing sector. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.