Effect of temperature and fruit storage on yield and quality of mechanically extracted olive oil

Efforts were made to study the effect of temperature and period of storage of olive fruits on yield and quality of mechanically extracted oil. Olives fruits (Olea europaea cv. Frantoio) used for oil extraction were stored in plastic containers at two different temperatures (ambientand5 +1°C) for20 days.Thequalityof bothfruit and the oil extracted from these fruits was analyzed during the entire storage period. Fruit quality evaluation included fruit weight, pulp recovery, moisture and oil yield whereas oil quality was determined by the analysis of free fatty acids, peroxide value, iodine value, saponification value and specific extinction coefficients (K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀) The olive fruits can successfully be stored at 5+1°C in ventilated plastic containers (30% ventilation with open top) for about 15 days without any considerable changes in the fruit quality and quality of oil extracted. However, the storage of fruits at ambient temperatures (15–26°C) beyond 5 days brings about drastic changes in the physical quality of fruit and the composition of oil due to excessive decay of fruit and initiation of oxidation reactions under such conditions.