Flavored olive oils: focus on their acceptability and thermal stability

The presence of flavored olive oils (FOO) on the market represents an answer to an increasing consumer demand for novel and healthy food. This work aims to compare the sensory acceptability and the thermal stability of FOO prepared by mixing different flavors (lemon, onion, garlic, paprika) to an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) also used as the control sample. 96 Tunisian citizens were involved in a consumer test and the lemon flavored oil was the most liked whereas the least liked was the oil with onion. Samples were subjected to different heat treatments (60 degrees C, 100 degrees C, 200 degrees C for 1, 2, 4, 8 hours) and the flavor addition did not influence the EVOO stability when samples were heated at 60 degrees C, whereas at 200 degrees C the FOO with onion and garlic showed higher oxidative stability. The thermo-oxidation process at 60 degrees C and at 100 degrees C of the FOOs was not detrimental for the volatile compound markers but the effect was noticeable for all these markers at 200 degrees C.