Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Performance of two color scales for virgin olive oils: Influence of ripeness, variety, and harvest season

  • Published:
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the performance of the bromthymol blue (BTB) method and the Uniform Oil Color Scale (UOCS) method with different sets of virgin olive oil samples from Andalusia (Spain), namely, 1213 samples from olives at three stages of ripeness, 1008 samples from eight olive varieties, and 1700 samples from olives harvested in four different crop seasons. All oils were extracted in the laboratory by the same procedure. The performance of the two color scales was compared using CIELAB color differences between the oil samples and the nearest standard from each scale. The UOCS performed at least 2.0 times better than the BTB for each of the three stages of olive ripeness, and the difference between the two color scales was statistically significant (P<0.001). The UOCS performed at least 1.3 times better than the BTB for each of the eight olive varieties studied, and the differences between the two color scales were statistically significant (P<0.02). The UOCS also performed at least 1.6 times better than the BTB for each of the four harvests analyzed, and the differences between the two color scales were statistically significant (P<0.001). Using the current oil samples, we could discern no substantial improvements to the UOCS standards.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gutiérrez, R., and F. Gutiérrez Método Rápido para Definir y Clasificar el Color de los Aceites de Oliva Vírgenes, Grasas Aceites 37:282–284 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  2. AENOR, Índice de Color ABT. Norma UNE 55021, Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación, Madrid, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Civantos, L., La Olivicultura en el Mundo y en España, in El Cultivo del Olivar, 4th edn., edited by D. Barranco, R. Fernández-Escobar, and L. Rallo, Mundi-Prensa, Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca (Junta de Andalucía), Madrid, 2001, pp. 17–34.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Melgosa, M., M.M. Pérez, E. Hita, M.J. Moyano, J. Alba, and F.J. Heredia, Precision and Accuracy in the Color Specification of Virgin Olive Oils from the Bromthymol Blue Method, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 77:1093–1099 (2000).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Melgosa, M., M.M. Pérez, E. Hita, F.J. Heredia, J. Alba, and M.J. Moyano, Reproducibility of the Bromthymol Blue Standards Used for Color Specification of Virgin Olive Oil, Ibid. 78:265–270 (2001).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Melgosa, M., R. Huertas, E. Hita, J.M. Roa, F.J. Heredia, J. Alba, and M.J. Moyano, Proposal of a Uniform Color Scale for Virgin Olive Oils, Ibid. 81:323–330 (2004).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. International Commission on Illumination (CIE), CIE Publication No. 15.2: Colorimetry (Technical Report), CIE Central Bureau, Vienna, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Alba, J., J.R. Izquierdo, and F. Gutiérrez, Aceite de Oliva Virgen: Análisis Sensorial, Agrícola Española, Madrid, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Uceda, M., and M. Hermoso, La Calidad del Aceite de Oliva, in El Cultivo del Olivar, 4th edn., edited by D. Barranco, R. Fernández-Escobar, and L. Rallo, Mundi-Prensa, Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca (Junta de Andalucía), Madrid, 2001, pp. 571–596.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Civantos, L., Obtención del Aceite de Oliva Virgen, 2nd edn., Agrícola Española, Madrid, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Fiorino, P., and F. Nizzi, Maturazione delle Olive e Variazioni di Alcuni Componenti dell'Olio, Olivae 35:25–33 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pannelli, G., and M. Servilli, Osservazioni Poliennali sulle Variazioni di Parametri Agronomic Durante la Maturazione di Frutti di Cultivar Precoci e Tardie di Olivo, Olea (September 1991).

  13. Moyano, M.J., Estudio del Color de Aceites de Oliva Vírgenes de Andalucía, Ph.D. Dissertation, Facultad de Farmacia (Universidad de Sevilla), Instituto de la Grasa (CSIC), Spain, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Martínez, J.M., E. Muñoz, J. Alba, and A. Lanzón, Informe Sobre Utilización del Analizador de Rendimientos “Abencor”, Grasas Aceites 26:379–385 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Barranco D., Variedades y Patrones, in El Cultivo del Olivar, 4th edn., edited by D. Barranco, R. Fernández-Escobar, and L. Rallo, Mundi-Prensa, Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca (Junta de Andalucía), Madrid, 2001, pp. 61–89.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Berns, R.S., Billmeyer and Saltzman's Principles of Color Technology, 3rd edn., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2000, pp. 157–159.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Cui, G., M.R. Luo, B. Rigg, G. Roesler, and K. Witt, Uniform Colour Spaces Based on the DIN99 Colour-Difference Formula, Color Res. Appl. 27:282–290 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. International Commission on Illumination (CIE), CIE Publication No. 142: Improvement to Industrial Color-Difference Evaluation (Technical Report), CIE Central Bureau, Vienna, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pérez, C., Técnicas Estadísticas con SPSS ®, Prentice Hall, New York, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Óptica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, 18071, Granada, (Spain)

    M. Melgosa, R. Huertas & E. Hita

  2. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain

    J. M. Roa

  3. Area de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012, Sevilla, Spain

    F. J. Heredia

  4. Almazara Experimental del Instituto de la Grasa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 41012, Sevilla, Spain

    J. Alba & M. J. Moyano

Authors
  1. M. Melgosa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Huertas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Hita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. M. Roa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. J. Heredia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. J. Alba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. M. J. Moyano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Melgosa.

About this article

Cite this article

Melgosa, M., Huertas, R., Hita, E. et al. Performance of two color scales for virgin olive oils: Influence of ripeness, variety, and harvest season. J Amer Oil Chem Soc 82, 21–25 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-005-1037-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-005-1037-x

Key Words

Search

Navigation