Evaluation of Packaging Effects on the Phenolic Profile and Sensory Characteristics of Extra Virgin Olive Oil During Storage Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry

The health benefits of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), including improved cardiovascular health and metabolic function, are linked to its phenolic content. This study evaluated how storage duration and packaging affect the phenolic composition and sensory quality of Corbella EVOO. Oils were analyzed at production and after 6 and 12 months of storage in two types of packaging: bag-in-box; stainless steel containers with a nitrogen headspace. UPLC-MS/MS profiling quantified 23 phenolic compounds, predominantly secoiridoids such as oleuropein and ligstroside aglycones. Oleuropein aglycone increased over time, whereas ligstroside aglycone peaked mid-storage before declining, likely converting to oleocanthal. Lignans and flavonoids degraded during storage, although luteolin increased, potentially due to glucoside hydrolysis. Bag-in-box packaging better preserved phenolic content than stainless steel. A sensory analysis corroborated the chemical findings, with oils stored in stainless steel showing greater reductions in pungency and astringency. A Pearson correlation linked bitterness with oleuropein aglycone (r = 0.44) and oleacein (r = 0.66), pungency with oleocanthal (r = 0.81), and astringency with oleacein (r = 0.86) and oleocanthal (r = 0.71). These findings highlight the importance of packaging in preserving the phenolic composition responsible for the sensory qualities of EVOO over time.

This work was supported by CDTI [IDI-20210929], Fundació Bosch-Gimpera [311463], and a grant PID2023-147307OB-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF/EU, UE. We would like to thank Agromigjorn SL (Oli Migjorn) for their collaboration and supplying the Corbella olives and EVOO. We would also like to thank the Generalitat de Catalunya GC (2021-SGR-00334), CIBEROBN from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) of the Ministerio de Ciencia, and the INSA-UB Unit of Excellence (María de Maeztu CEX2021-001234-M funded by MICIN/AEI/FEDER, UE). Mohamed M. Abuhabib is grateful for the predoctoral scholarship FISDUR (REU/551/2022) from the Agency of Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) (GC). F.M.C.-M. thanks MICIU (FPU23/01279). R.M.L.-R would like to thank the GC for the ICREA academia recognition. The authors also would like to thank the Scientific and Technological services of the University of Barcelona (CCiT-UB) for the UPLC-MS/MS equipment, and staff members for their support and advice.

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion