Cultivar authentication of olive oil from Ionian islands using volatile compounds and chemometric analyses

Abstract Two hundred and twenty-three olive samples of different olive cultivars (Koroneiki, Asprolia, Lianolia, Ntopia, Thiaki, Mavrolia, and Others) grown in the Ionian islands (Kefalonia, Kerkyra, Leukada, and Zakynthos) were subjected to headspace solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. The aim of the study was to characterize the aroma pattern of these olive oil cultivars, and track whether specific volatile compounds could be used for olive oil cultivar authentication using chemometrics. Multivariate analysis of variance implemented on the semi-quantitative data of volatile compounds (alcohols, aldehydes, benzene derivatives, esters, hydrocarbons, ketones, and terpenoids), showed that olive cultivar had a significant impact on the volatile composition of olive oil samples. Factor analysis and linear discriminant analysis indicated those specific volatile compounds that could be related to olive oil cultivar and established statistical models for the olive oil cultivar authentication from Ionian islands, thus indicating a characteristic aroma fingerprint of these olive oils.