The effect of olive fruit maturation in Spanish style fermentation with a controlled temperature

Chlorophyll Pigments of Olive Leaves and Green Tea Extracts Differentially Affect Their Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties

Plant-based extracts possess biological potential due to their high content of phytochemicals. Nevertheless, photosynthetic pigments (e.g., chlorophylls) that are also present in plant extracts could produce undesirable pro-oxidant activity that might cause a negative impact on their eventual application. Herein, the phenolic content of olive leaf (OLE) and green tea (GTE) extracts was assayed, and their antioxidant and anticancer activities were evaluated before and after the removal of chlorophylls. Regarding phenolic content, OLE was rich in hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol as well as oleuropein, whereas the main compounds present in GTE were gallocatechin, epigallocatechin (EGC), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), gallocatechin gallate, and caffeine. Interestingly, fresh extracts’ antioxidant ability was dependent on phenolic compounds; however, the elimination of chlorophyll compounds did not modify the antioxidant activity of extracts. In addition, both OLE and GTE had high cytotoxicity against HL-60 leukemic cell line. Of note, the removal of chlorophyll pigments remarkably reduced the cytotoxic effect in both cases. Therefore, our findings emphasize the remarkable antioxidant and anticancer potential of OLE and GTE and suggest that chlorophylls are of paramount importance for the tumor-killing ability of such plant-derived extracts.

The combined effects of ripening degree and fermentation process on biochemical properties of table olives and oils of Ayvalık and Gemlik varieties

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of variety, ripening degree, and also fermentation process on the bioactive compounds of olives, and on the fatty acid compositions of olive oils. The highest oil content was determined in fermented green olives (70.02% in Gemlik variety; 66.87% in Ayvalık variety). The fermentation process caused a notable reduction in both total phenolic content (from 2558.30–2894.40 to 699.10–1087.00 mg/kg), and antioxidant activity values (from 81.46–81.20 to 26.00–63.75%) of green olives in brine. Verbascoside was identified as the main phenolic compound (1150.95–1311.25 mg/kg). It was observed that oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, and rutin contents of olives decreased after fermentation process. Concerning the fatty acid compositions of olive oils, oleic (70.13–75.47% for Gemlik; 67.36–70.22% for Ayvalık) and linoleic acid (6.18–11.13% for Gemlik; 10.13–12.94% for Ayvalık) contents showed differences regarding variety and maturation degree. However, there are minor variations in fatty acid composition according to fermentation.

Characterization of Polyphenol and Volatile Fractions of Californian-Style Black Olives and Innovative Application of E-nose for Acrylamide Determination

Californian-style black olives require a sterilization treatment that produces a carcinogenic contaminant, acrylamide. Thus, this compound was evaluated in two different olive cultivars using an electronic nose (E-nose). The sterilization intensity had a significant influence on the final phenol concentrations, acrylamide content, and volatile compounds. Increasing the sterilization intensity from 10 to 26 min (F0) reduced the phenol content, but it promoted acrylamide synthesis, leading to a wide range of this toxic substance. The Ester and phenol groups of volatile compounds decreased their content when the sterilization treatment increased; however, aldehyde and other volatile compound groups significantly increased their contents according to the thermal treatments. The compounds 4-ethenyl-pyridine, benzaldehyde, and 2,4-dimethyl-hexane are volatile compounds with unpleasant odours and demonstrated a high amount of influence on the differences found after the application of the thermal treatments. The “Manzanilla Cacereña” variety presented the highest amount of phenolic compounds and the lowest acrylamide content. Finally, it was found that acrylamide content is correlated with volatile compounds, which was determined using multiple linear regression analysis (R² = 0.9994). Furthermore, the aroma of table olives was analysed using an E-nose, and these results combined with Partial Least Square (PLS) were shown to be an accurate method (range to error ratio (RER) >10 and ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) >2.5) for the indirect quantification of this toxic substance.

Effects of Different Controlled Temperatures on Spanish-Style Fermentation Processes of Olives

This work aimed to determine the effect of applying different temperatures during the fermentation process of Spanish-style table olives. ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ (southwest of Spain, Badajoz) and ‘Manzanilla Cacereña’ (northwest of Spain, Caceres) olives were processed at an industrial scale in table olive fermenters whose brine was subjected to different thermal treatments. One of the three conducted experiments found that maintaining brine at 20–24 °C over a 3-month period led to optimum firmness, better color indices, and greater free acidity and lactic acid bacteria populations in comparison to an unheated control. Furthermore, raising the temperature of the fermenter to 20–24 °C accelerated the fermentation process, provoking better lactic bacteria and yeast growth without affecting olive firmness. The higher fermentation rate (shorter time to completion) associated with temperature-controlled olives also reduced the marketing time of the final product. Controlling brine temperature led to a better aspect and color, higher acidity, lower bitterness, and better overall assessment of processed olives. In addition, ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ olives presented a higher phenolic content than ‘Manzanilla Cacereña’ olives. Preliminary evidence is presented suggesting that ‘Manzanilla Cacereña’ olives appear highly amenable to Sevillian-style processing. The present innovative work demonstrates the importance of applying different thermal treatments to brine to control the temperature during the industrial fermentation of table olives during the cold season.

Industrial Strategies to Reduce Acrylamide Formation in Californian-Style Green Ripe Olives

Acrylamide, a compound identified as a probable carcinogen, is generated during the sterilization phase employed during the processing of Californian-style green ripe olives. It is possible to reduce the content of this toxic compound by applying different strategies during the processing of green ripe olives. The influence of different processing conditions on acrylamide content was studied in three olives varieties (“Manzanilla de Sevilla”, “Hojiblanca”, and “Manzanilla Cacereña”). Olives harvested during the yellow–green stage presented higher acrylamide concentrations than green olives. A significant reduction in acrylamide content was observed when olives were washed with water at 25 °C for 45 min (25% reduction) and for 2 h (45% reduction) prior to lye treatment. Stone olives had 21–26% higher acrylamide levels than pitted olives and 42–50% higher levels than sliced olives in the three studied varieties. When calcium chloride (CaCl₂) was added to the brine and brine sodium chloride (NaCl) increased from 2% to 4%, olives presented higher concentrations of this contaminant. The addition of additives did not affect acrylamide levels when olives were canned without brine. Results from this study are very useful for the table olive industry to identify critical points in the production of Californian-style green ripe olives, thus, helping to control acrylamide formation in this foodstuff.

Hydroxytyrosol Decreases LPS- and α-Synuclein-Induced Microglial Activation In Vitro

Neuroinflammation is a common feature shared by neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), and seems to play a key role in their development and progression. Microglia cells, the principal orchestrators of neuroinflammation, can be polarized in different phenotypes, which means they are able to have anti-inflammatory, pro-inflammatory, or neurodegenerative effects. Increasing evidence supports that the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern is related to the reduction of cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases. A considerable intake of plant foods, fish, and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), as well as a moderate consumption of red wine, all characteristic of the Mediterranean diet (MD), are behind these effects. These foods are especially rich in polyphenols, being the most relevant in the MD hydroxytyrosol (HT) and their derivatives present in EVOO, which have demonstrated a wide array of biological activities. Here, we demonstrate that HT is able to reduce the inflammation induced by two different stimuli: lipopolysaccharide and α-synuclein. We also study the possible molecular mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of HT, including the study of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, and inflammasome. Our data support the use of HT to prevent the inflammation associated with PD and shed light into the relationship between MD and this neurological disorder.

Monitoring of acrylamide and phenolic compounds in table olive after high hydrostatic pressure and cooking treatments

Acrylamide and phenolic compounds on both fresh and cooked olives were monitored by HPLC/MS-MS and reversed-phase-HPLC methods along different procedures: elaboration process, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), cooking treatment and bioavailability evaluation. Acrylamide was not detected during the elaboration process and after HHP treatment. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleuropein and verbascoside were the most important phenols after HHP treatment. The frying and baking processes on olives enhanced the formation of acrylamide and a significant reduction in the phenolic compounds. The frying process produced lower acrylamide concentration and less reduction of phenolic compounds than the baking process, while in the gastrointestinal digestion these compounds were slightly reduced if compared to the initial stage. As a conclusion, the best way to ingest high quantities of phenols and reduce acrylamide consumption is by ingesting the olives when they are fresh. In case the olives need to be cooked, specific time and temperature conditions shall be applied.