Towards understanding the varietal typicity of virgin olive oil by correlating sensory and compositional analysis data: a case study

To investigate if the anecdotal varietal typicity concepts for two monovarietal virgin olive oils (VOO) can be scientifically supported and explained, VOO samples were sorted according to typicity grade and related to sensory and compositional data for volatiles and phenols. Clear inter-varietal, as well as intra-varietal boundaries between more and less typical samples were established by univariate and multivariate statistics. A variety-typical complex odor was related to a complex VOO volatile composition with relatively high amounts of lipoxygenase-derived compounds, accompanied by hydrocarbons, terpenes, and benzenoids. A simpler odor, described mostly as green and typical for the other monovarietal VOO, coincided with the lower amounts of the same volatiles. The intensity of bitterness and pungency was mostly in correlation with the amount of major phenols. Two monovarietal VOOs were clearly distinguished with respect to their variety-typical expression of pungency: the one described as gradually increasing was tentatively related to pinoresinol, while the other, described as immediately strong and burning, was assumed to originate mainly from p-HPEA-EDA. Intra-varietal typicity grades correlated with hedonic liking, as well as with general VOO positive sensory attributes related to key volatiles and phenols.