Impact of storage period and conditions on mechanically harvested olives (Olea europaea L.)

Burin, Tea (author), Grohar, Mariana Cecilia (author), Jakopič, Jerneja (author), Veberič, Robert (author), Hudina, Metka (author)

In this study, changes in visual, physical and biochemical parameters of mechanically harvested olive fruit cultivar ’Istrska belica’ were evaluated during 23 days of storage under cold (C) and uncontrolled (U) conditions over two years. At harvest, the fruit of both years had a similar maturity index (0.62 and 0.76) and fruits weight (2.75 g and 2.85 g) but different firmness (5.98 N and 5.77 N) and phenolic content. In 2022, fruit at harvest were softer and had more damaged spots after mechanical harvest, which resulted on a greatest decrease in antioxidant capacity during storage (for 12 % in U and 9 % in C). Although, firmness and fruit weight decreased while the maturity index increased, the changes during storage were more evident in phenolic content, from which oleuropein decreased the most (in 2021 for 30 % in U and 18 % in C, in 2022 for 31 % in U and 15 % in C). Consequently, the content of its degradation products, including demethyloleuropein glucoside, elenolic acid, and verbascoside, increased over time under both storage conditions. On the other hand, an increase in oleuropein degradation was observed under uncontrolled storage conditions, which was also confirmed by the faster increase in the final products (elenolic acid glucoside, hydroxytyrosol glucoside and oleoside). Changes in phenolic contents, physical parameters and damage propagation were slower at the lowest storage temperature. The initial quality of the fruit, such as ripeness, firmness and damage, also had a strong influence on changes during storage. The results suggest that fruit should not be overripe before storage and should be cooled as soon as possible for the shortest time necessary to minimise oxidation and phenolic degradation.

• Language: English
• Keywords: antioxidant capacity, oleuropein, olive fruits, phenolic compounds, postharvest
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 343, art. 114071
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-167884
• UDC: 634.63:631.563
• ISSN on article: 0304-4238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114071
• COBISS.SI-ID: 229481475
• Publication date in RUL: 19.03.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Scientia horticulturae
• Shortened title: Sci. hortic.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0304-4238
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5191687

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: antioksidativna sposobnost, oleuropein, plodovi oljk, fenolne spojine, skladiščenje

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0013
• Name: Hortikultura