Olive oil analysis

Is this really a high-quality olive oil? This is the question many consumers ask themselves when they stand in front of the shelves in the grocery store. Often, the next step is to reach for the highest quality grades – virgin and extra-virgin olive oils. These are supposed to be particularly aromatic and healthy due to the gentle mechanical cold pressing of the olives. In addition, they must fulfill numerous quality criteria according to an EU regulation. If you then decide to buy a bottle with an indication of origin, you are supporting the countries of production with your purchase. But is the information on the labels correct? To verify the quality and authenticity of olive oils, FoodQS offers both classic quality parameters and the modern and cost-effective NMR screening. With the help of our partners (panels with IOC recognition) we can further offer you a sensory evaluation.
What is olive oil profiling using NMR?
The advantage of this technology is that it provides important and relevant authenticity and quality parameters in a very short time and on the basis of a single cost-effective measurement. These are then summarized in a clear test report.
For the general characterization of the olive oil, this test report includes the following parameters:
- Fatty acid composition
(free fatty acids, linolenic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid) - Quality indicators
(iodine value, K232, peroxide value)
Our experts in the field of “food analysis by NMR” additionally check the olive oil for consistency with the reference data with regard to:
- Signs of oxidation
- Authenticity
- Phytosterols (qualitative)
- Addition of vegetable oils (currently rapeseed, soybean and sunflower oils)
By comparing a sample with an extensive in-house reference oil database, the plausibility of the origin.
Currently, this is possible for oils from the three largest producing countries:
- Spain
- Italy
- Greece
It is our concern to offer you a cost-effective and fast analytics, which provides all relevant results and which represents an added value for your quality efforts. Of course, we also offer a corresponding analysis for other vegetable oils.
If required, additional parameters such as residues (pesticides, PCBs, PAHs…), heavy metals or microbiological criteria can be examined in addition to the NMR analysis.
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