Advances in the microbiology of table olives: a scientific meeting

E.  Parente; F.N.  Arroyo-López; E.Z.  Panagou

doi:10.3989/gya.0319261.2418

Authors

E. Parente Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università degli Studi della Basilicata https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5716-2348
F.N. Arroyo-López Departamento de Biotecnología de Alimentos. Instituto de la Grasa (CSIC) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-7746
E.Z. Panagou Laboratory of Microbiology and Biotechnology of Foods, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0317-1177

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/gya.0319261.2418

Keywords:

Fermentation microbiology, Metagenomics, Reduced-salt processing, Spoilage control, Starter cultures, Table olives

Abstract

The scientific meeting “Advances in the Microbiology of Table Olives”, held in Matera (Italy) in September 2025, was the first dedicated forum to bring together researchers and stakeholders in the industry to address current knowledge and future priorities in table olive fermentation. The conference highlighted the central role of microbiology in determining product quality, safety, and functional potential, with sessions covering the impacts of climate change, microbial diversity, -omics approaches, flavor development, starter cultures, spoilage control, reduced-salt processes, and innovative packaging. Participants emphasized the need for standardized methods, data sharing, metagenomic databases, biobanks, and stronger research networks. Applied priorities included functional and probiotic olives, novel starter cultures, improved monitoring systems, and strategies to prevent spoilage while ensuring safety in lowsodium and brine-free products. The meeting fostered collaboration and established a strategic framework to guide interdisciplinary and translational research in the table olive sector.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Anagnostopoulos DA, Tsaltas D. 2022. Current status, recent advances, and main challenges on table olive fermentation: the present meets the future. Front. Microbiol. 12, 797295.

Argyri AA, Tassou CC. 2022. Beneficial role of microorganisms in olives. In: de Bruijn FJ, Smidt H, Cocolin LS, Sauer M, Dowling D, Thomashow L (Eds.), Good microbes in medicine, food production, biotechnology, bioremediation, and agriculture. John Wiley & Sons Ltd., pp. 185–198.

Arroyo-López FN, Romero-Gil V, Bautista-Gallego J, Rodríguez-Gómez F, Jiménez-Díaz R, García-García P, Querol A, Garrido-Fernández A. 2012a. Yeasts in table olive processing: desirable or spoilage microorganisms? Int. J. Food Microbiol. 160, 42–49.

Arroyo-López FN, Bautista-Gallego J, Domínguez-Manzano J, Romero-Gil, V, Rodriguez-Gómez F, García-García P, Garrido-Fernández A, Jiménez-Díaz R. 2012b. Formation of Lactic Acid Bacteria-Yeasts communities on the olive surface during Spanish-style Manzanilla fermentations. Food Microbiol. 32, 295–301.

Benítez-Cabello A, Torres-Maravilla E, Bermúdez-Humarán L, Langella P, Martín R, Jiménez-Díaz R, Arroyo-López FN. 2020. Probiotic properties of Lactobacillus strains isolated from table olive biofilms. Probiotics Antimicrob. Proteins, 12, 1071–1082.

Bevilacqua A, Corbo MR, Sinigaglia M. 2012. Selection of yeasts as starter cultures for table olives: A stepby-step procedure. Front. Microbiol. 3, 1–9.

Bonatsou S, Tassou CC, Panagou EZ, Nychas GJE. 2017. Table olive fermentation using starter cultures with multifunctional potential. Microorganisms 5, 1–16.

Campus C, Değirmencioğlu N, Comunian R. 2018. Technologies and trends to improve table olive quality and safety. Front. Microbiol. 9, 617.

Erdemir Tiras ZS, Kalkan Yildirim H. 2021. Application of mixed starter culture for table olive production. Grasas y Aceites, 72, e405.

Garrido-Fernández A, Benítez-Cabello A, Rodríguez-Gómez F, Jiménez-Díaz R, Arroyo-López, FN, Morales ML. 2021. Relating starter cultures to volatile profile and potential markers in green Spanish-style table olives by compositional data analysis. Food Microbiol. 94, 103659.

Gialluisi K, De Vero L, Petruzzino G, Verrone L, Perrone G, Moretti A, Capozzi V, Ferrara M. 2026. Cryopreservation of fermented table olives microbiomes: an integrative case study on viability, functional stability, and biobanking applications. Food Res. Int. 228, 118430.

Grand View Research (GVR). 2020. Reduced salt food products market (2022-2030) available at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/reduced-salt-food-products-market-report (accessed 20 February 2026)

Kazou M, Psarafti K, Panagou EZ. 2025. The future of the table olive sector: unlocking the potential of process analytical technology (PAT) in the era of digital transformation. Eur. Food Res. Technol. 251, 3489-3504.

Lanza B. 2013. Abnormal fermentations in table olive processing: microbial origin and sensory evaluation. Front. Microbiol. 4, 91.

Li M, Fan H, Lu M. 2026. Sodium reduction in traditional fermented vegetables: challenges, strategies, and perspectives. Fermentation, 12, 162.

López-García E, Benítez-Cabello A, Arenas-de Larriva AP, Gutierrez-Mariscal FM, Pérez-Martínez P, Yubero-Serrano E, Garrido-Fernández A, Arroyo-López FN. 2023. Oral intake of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus LPG1 produces a beneficial regulation of gut microbiota in healthy persons: A randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind trial. Nutrients 15, 1931.

Parente E, Pietrafesa R, De Filippis F, De Vivo A, Labella MG, Hidalgo M, Lavanga E, Ricciardi A. 2026. A survey of bacterial and fungal communities of table olives. International. J. Food Microbiol. 455, 111759.

Parente E, Ricciardi A. 2024. A comprehensive view of food microbiota: introducing FoodMicrobionet v5. Foods 13, 1689.

Portilha-Cunha MF, Macedo AC, Malcata FX. 2020. A review on adventitious Lactic Acid Bacteria from table olives. Foods 9, 1–28.

Ricciardi A, Arroyo-López FN, Giavalisco M, Pietrafesa R, Parente E. 2025. Determining the core bacterial and fungal genera in table olive fermentations. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 442, 111344.

Schorn-García D, Ezenarro J, Vakouli E, Kazou M, Panagou EZ. 2026. Process monitoring of reducedsodium table olive fermentation using vibrational spectroscopy. Food Control 183, 111891.

Tsoungos A, Pemaj V, Slavko A, Kapolos J, Papadelli M, Papadimitriou K. 2023. The rising role of omics and meta-omics in table olive research. Foods 12, 3783.