Quality criteria, sensory properties, oxidative and thermal stability of olive oils produced in Cukurova region of Adana

Harvest time plays a key role in the quality and oxidative stability of olive oils. Olive oils were collected from olive oil mills (İ1, İ2, İ3 ve İ4) in Adana, Cukurova region, Turkey in september, october and november at 2014. The chemical and sensory quality criteria of olive oils were established by Turkish Food Codex, Regulations for Olive and Olive Pomace oil (TFC, 2014). According to quality criteria values the oils obtained from 4 different plants at 3 different harvest time were were fell in the category of raw olive oil quality. It was found that harvest time decreased the chlorophyl, carotenoid, L*, a*, b* and tocopherol contens of virgin olive oils. Olive oils produced by different plants were fell in the category of virgin olive oil quality according to sensory quality. Oxidative stability of olive oils produced by different olive oil plants were decreased depending on harvest time. The thermal stability of olive oils were reduced by frying process and harvest time and plants played and important role on the ıncrease of total polar compounds and fried olive oil quality. İ3 and İ1 olive oil plants seemed to be producing good quality olive oils which have high quality, with good sensory properties, and good oxidative and termal stability in October. It was concluded harvest should be completed by October in Cukurova region of Adana in order to produce olive oils with high quality