Characteristics of Gemlik variety at different harvesting periods under drought conditions

Olive oil is one of the oldest edible oils, derived from the fruit of the Olea europaea L. tree. The oils' characteristics such as (taste, colour and smell) which depend on various factors such as the type of olive, soil, irrigation, climatic conditions, harvest date etc. Extra-virgin olive oils were acquired for this study from the Gemlik olive variety which is one of Turkey's popular variety, during various ripening stages (about1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 maturity index values). Pomological analysis (such as fruit width, fruit lenth, flesh to stone ratio), oil content, moisture content, total phenol and L*, a*, b*, fatty acids, phenolic compounds and volatiles were determined. The olive oil produced was at the ideal stage when maturity (3.5 maturity index). In all oil samples, oleic acid predominated, followed by palmitic and linoleic fatty acids. In this research, five individual phenolic compounds were identified and quantified as caffeic acid, ferrulic acid, luteolin acid. p-coumaric acid and oleuropein during four different harvesting periods and oleuropein was detected as dominant compound.