Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Stable isotope characterization of olive oils. I—Compositional and carbon-13 profiles of fatty acids

  • Published:
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society

Abstract

Nearly 200 olive oils produced in the Mediterranean basin, mainly in Greece, during 4 yr from 1993 to 1996, were studied by gas chromatography (GC) and on-line GC-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). The composition of the oils in the more abundant fatty acids (C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3) was obtained by GC after transesterification of the triglycerides into methyl esters. Using the hyphenated GC-C-IRMS technique, the 13C contents of the three most abundant acids, C16:0, C18:1, and C18:2, were measured with satisfactory accuracy. The results, analyzed in terms of geographical, temporal, and botanical factors, provide new criteria for the authentication of olive oils.

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. Aparicio, R., M. Sanchez Navarro, and M.S. Ferreiro, Definite Influence of the Extraction Methods on the Chemical Composition of Virgin Oil, Grasas Aceites 42:356–362 (1991).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Alonso, G.M.V., and L.R. Aparicio, Characterization of European Virgin Olive Oils Using Fatty Acids, Ibid.:18–24 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Meinschein, W.G., G.G.L. Rinaldi, J.M. Hayes, and D.A. Schoeller, Intramolecular Isotopic Order in Biologically Produced Acetic Acid, Biomed. Mass Spectrom. 1:172–174 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. De Niro, M.J., and S. Epstein, Mechanism of Carbon Isotope Fractionation Associated with Lipid Synthesis, Science 197:261–263 (1977).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Monson, K.D., and J.M. Hayes, Biosynthetic Control of the Natural Abundance of Carbon 13 at Specific Positions Within Fatty Acids in Escherichia coli. Evidence Regarding the Coupling of Fatty Acid and Phospholipid Synthesis, J. Biol. Chem. 255:11435–11441 (1980).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bianchi, G., F. Angerosa, L. Camera, F. Reniero, and C. Anglani, Stable Carbon Isotope Ratios (13C/12C) of Olive Oil Components, J. Agric. Food. Chem. 41:1936–1940 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Angerosa, F., L. Camera, S. Cumitini, G. Gleixner, and F. Reniero, Carbon Stable Isotopes and Olive Oil Adulteration with Pomace Oil, Ibid.:3044–3048 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kelly, S., I. Parker, M. Sharman, J. Dennis, and I. Goodall, Assessing the Authenticity of Single Seed Vegetable Oils Using Fatty Acid Stable Carbon Isotope Ratios (13C/12C), Food Chem. 59:181–186 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Woodbury, S.E., R.P. Evershed, J.B. Rossel, R.E. Griffith, and P. Farnell, Detection of Vegetable Oil Adulteration Using Gas Chromatography Combustion Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry, Anal. Chem. 67:2685–2690 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Commission of the European Communities, Regulation No2568/91, On the Characteristics of Olive Oil and Olive-Residue Oil and on the Relevant Methods of Analysis, Official Journal of the European Communities NoL248:4 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  11. International Standard Methods 5509-1978, Animal and Vegetable Fats and Oils, Preparation of Methyl Esters of Fatty Acids, International Standard Methods, edited by International Standard Organization, Geneva, 1978.

  12. International Standard Methods 5508-1990, 2nd edn., Animal and Vegetable Fats and Oils. Analysis by Gas Chromatography of Methyl Esters of Fatty Acids, Ibid., 1990.

  13. Coplen, T., Reporting of Stable Hydrogen, Carbon, and Oxygen Isotopic Abundances, Pure Appl. Chem. 66:273–276 (1994); Geothermics 24:708–72 (1995).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Santrock, J., S.A. Studley, and J.M. Hayes, Isotopic Analyses Based on the Mass Spectrum of Carbon Dioxide, Anal. Chem. 57:1444–1448 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Craig, H., Isotopic Standards for Carbon and Oxygen and Correction Factors for Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Carbon Dioxide, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 12:133–149 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Bethea, R.M., B.S. Duran, and T.L. Boullion, Statistical Methods for Engineers and Scientists, in Statistics, edited by D.B. Owen and N.R. Schukany Marcel Dekker, New York, 1995, Vol. 144, p. 225.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Dagnelie, P., Analyse Statistique à plusieurs variables. Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux 10:225 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Koziet, J., A. Rossmann, G.J. Martin, and P.R. Ashurst, Method for Determination of Carbon 13 in Sugars of Fruit Juices—An European Inter Laboratory Comparison, Anal. Chim. Acta 271:31–38 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Codex Alimentarius, World Agricultural Information Center, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), CD-Rom Ed., Roma (1993) Revised Norm for Olive Oil, Cl 1993, 15-FO (1993).

  20. Abrajano, T.A., D.E. Murphy, J. Fang, P. Comet, and J.M. Brooks, C-13/C-12 Ratios in Individual Fatty Acids of Marine Mytilids With and Without Bacterial Symbionts, Org. Geochem. 21:611–617 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Day, M., B.L. Zhang, G.J. Martin, C. Asselin, and R. Morlat, Essai de Caractérisation du Millésime et de la Zone de Production des Vins à l’Aide de Traceurs Métalliques et Isotopiques, J. Intern. Sci. Vigne Vin 29:75–87 (1995).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Salmon, B., G.J. Martin, G. Remaud, and F. Fourel, Compositional and Isotopic Studies of Fruit Flavours. Part I—The Banana Aroma, Flavour Fragrance 11:353–359 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Harwood, J.H., Fatty Acid Metabolism, Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 39:101–138 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Williams, M., J. Sanchez, A.C. Hann, and J.L. Harwood, Lipid Biosynthesis in Olive Cultures, J. Exp. Bot. 44:1717–1723 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Monson, K.D., and Hayes, J.M., Carbon Isotopic Fractionation in the Biosynthesis of Bacterial Fatty Acids. Ozonolysis of Unsaturated Fatty Acids as a Means of Determining the Intramolecular Distribution of Carbon Isotopes, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 46:139–149 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Monson, K.D., and J.M. Hayes, Biosynthetic Control of the Natural Abundance of Carbon 13 at Specific Positions Within Fatty Acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Isotopic Fractionations in Lipids Synthesis as Evidence for Peroxisomal Regulation, J. Biol. Chem. 282:5568–5575 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Quemerais, B., F. Mabon, N. Naulet, and G.J. Martin, Site-Specific Isotope Fractionation of Hydrogen in the Biosynthesis of Plant Fatty Acids, Plant, Cell Environ. 18:989–998 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. AIEM Université de Nantes-CNRS, 44322, Nantes cedex 03, France

    A. Royer, C. Gerard & N. Naulet

  2. EUROFINS SCIENTIFIC, F-44323, Nantes cedex 3, France

    M. Lees

  3. CEAIS, Site de la Géraudière, rue P.A. Bobierre, BP 72304, 44323, Nantes cedex 3, France

    G. J. Martin

Authors
  1. A. Royer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Gerard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. N. Naulet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Lees
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. G. J. Martin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. J. Martin.

About this article

Cite this article

Royer, A., Gerard, C., Naulet, N. et al. Stable isotope characterization of olive oils. I—Compositional and carbon-13 profiles of fatty acids. J Amer Oil Chem Soc 76, 357–363 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-999-0243-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-999-0243-8

Key words

Search

Navigation