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Scientific referent
Working group
Alessandro Parenti, Piernicola Masella, Giulia Angeloni
Project partner
Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Forestry Sciences and Technologies (DAGRI) of the University of Florence
Main objectives
The project aims to improve the overall shelf life of Tuscan extra virgin olive oils and includes the development and subsequent introduction of a device that allows the introduction of a technical gas into the two centrifuges present in the mills: decanter and vertical separator;
The nitrogen injection device should avoid/reduce the addition of dissolved oxygen to the extra virgin olive oil produced, reducing the oxidation of phenolic compounds and unsaturated fatty acids present in the product and thus delaying the appearance of rancidity defects. This would increase the shelf-life of the oil and increase the period in which an oil can be marketed as extra virgin.
Extended
The project aims to improve the shelf life of Tuscan extra virgin olive oils through the development of a device for the introduction of nitrogen into the centrifuges used in oil mills (decanter and vertical separator). The use of this technical gas reduces the oxygen dissolved in the oil, preventing the oxidation of phenolic compounds and unsaturated fatty acids, thus delaying the appearance of rancidity and extending the shelf life of the oil.
Key findings include:
- Reduction of dissolved oxygen, preventing oxidative processes that cause deterioration.
- Chemical evaluations at time zero showed no immediate differences between treated and untreated oils, highlighting that the benefits emerge over time.
- Maintaining freshness after six months, with inert oils that have been preserved better than untreated ones, presenting less oxidation and better conservation of biophenols.
Inertization has been proven to be effective in improving oil quality and stability over the long term.
Project actions
- Reduction of oxidative defects
- Coupling between centrifuges and inert gas injectors
- Optimization of the use of technical gas
- Reduction of microbiological defects
- Optimization of the stabilization chain
- Chemical and sensory evaluations
- Dissemination of the results obtained
Main results achieved
From the experimentation conducted, it clearly emerged that the device has demonstrated a high efficacy in improving the quality and stability of extra virgin olive oil, acting mainly on the reduction of dissolved oxygen in the product. The main results obtained can be summarized as follows:
- Significant reduction of dissolved oxygen: The use of the device has allowed a marked reduction of dissolved oxygen in the oil. This decrease has a direct impact on the prevention of oxidative processes, which are one of the main causes of deterioration of oil quality over time. The reduction of compounds derived from oxidation has been a tangible and positive effect obtained thanks to inertization.
- Chemical and aromatic evaluations at time zero: In the tests performed at time zero, chemical and aromatic analyses showed no significant differences between the inerted and untreated samples. This suggests that the benefits of inerting are not immediately apparent, but become evident over time, confirming that the effectiveness of the process is closely linked to prolonged storage.
- Freshness retention after more than six months: Six months after production, the oils obtained through the inertization process remained significantly “fresher” than the non-inertized samples. This was reflected in a lower presence of oxidative compounds and better preservation of biophenols, which are fundamental elements for the oxidative stability and health properties of extra virgin olive oil.
Final project report
Duration
Beginning: April 2022
Conclusion: April 2024
Extension: 6 months-October 2024
Funding body of the call
Tuscany Region - PROJECT FOR INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION AND PRODUCTION PROCESS PROCESSES IN THE AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION SECTOR AND IN FORESTRY CONSORTIA
https://shorturl.fm/7mS4N