SPME-GC-MS Analysis of Virgin Olive Oils

December 1, 2008

Researchers from the University of Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) and Arboriculura Mediterranea Mas de Bover (Tarragona, Spain) implemented a factorial experimental design in developing a solid-phase microextraction (SPME)?gas chromatography (GC)?mass spectrometry (MS) method to analyze volatile phenols in virgin olive oils.

Researchers from the University of Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) and Arboriculura Mediterranea Mas de Bover (Tarragona, Spain) implemented a factorial experimental design in developing a solid-phase microextraction (SPME)–gas chromatography (GC)–mass spectrometry (MS) method to analyze volatile phenols in virgin olive oils. They analyzed a total of nine volatile phenols, which are strong odorants produced by microbial activity. They calculated odor activity values for the phenols to facilitate a first assessment of the compounds’ importance in the aroma of the oil samples.