Molecules, Vol. 28, Pages 4250: The Fate of the Chlorophyll Derivatives in Olives Preserved and/or Packaged in Presence of Exogenous Copper

Molecules, Vol. 28, Pages 4250: The Fate of the Chlorophyll Derivatives in Olives Preserved and/or Packaged in Presence of Exogenous Copper
Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules28104250
Authors:
Fausta Natella
Gianni Pastore
Altero Aguzzi
Paolo Gabrielli
Nicoletta Nardo
Roberto Ambra

Chlorophyll pigments are thought to be responsible for the highly appreciated green color of unfermented Castelvetrano-style table olives, but no studies have considered the effects of a controlled addition of copper during storage or packaging at the industrial level. For this purpose, chlorophyll derivatives were analyzed in Nocellara cultivar table olives debittered industrially using the Castelvetrano method, via means of HPLC and MS analyses, following the addition of copper in alkaline brines stored at 4 °C for 3 months in 220 L barrels, and during the subsequent storage in acid brines in commercial 400 g packages at 4 °C for up to 18 months. The presence of copper in storage or in packaging brines both contributed significantly to maintaining the green color of the olives, which was associated with a specific pattern of chlorophyll derivatives, as evidenced by principal component analysis. Notably, re-greening was rapidly achievable also for olives that had yellowed for 18 months at a copper concentration below the limit of EU legislation. Finally, by means of PCA, we also demonstrated that a short-term thermic treatment can work as an accelerated predi...

Source: Molecules - May 22, 2023 Category: Chemistry Authors: Fausta Natella Gianni Pastore Altero Aguzzi Paolo Gabrielli Nicoletta Nardo Roberto Ambra Tags: Article Source Type: research