Irrigation effects on fatty acidic composition, organoleptic characteristics and other quality parameters of virgin olive oils.

Abstract

Fatty acidic composition, organoleptic characteristics and other quality parameters of virgin olive oils were evaluated in dry-farming and irrigated olive orchards. The acidic composition was affected by irrigation. The content in monoinsaturated and polunsaturated fatty acid was higher in the oils of the dry-farming olive orchard, while the relative content in saturated fatty acids was higher in the irrigated one. The insaturated/ saturated and oleic/linoleic relations distinguish the irrigated and non irrigated olive trees. The K225 values, the poliphenolic contents and the bitter taste were also correlated. The oils from non irrigated olive trees showed the higher bitter taste. Those three parameters discriminated the oils from irrigated and non irrigated trees. The bitter taste diminished when increasing the amount of water supplied with the irrigation.