A Simple Screening Method for Extra Virgin Olive Oil Adulteration by Determining Squalene and Tyrosol

Abstract

A simple screening method for discrimination between commercial extra virgin olive oils and their blends with other vegetable oils was developed. Squalene, which was contained relatively high amounts in virgin olive oil, was determined by HPLC after a simple pretreatment that was carried out by dilution of oil samples with 2-propanol. Tyrosol, which was contained at relatively high concentration in virgin olive oil among phenolic compounds, was determined by HPLC after a simple liquid-liquid extraction. When using squalene and tyrosol contents as axes, extra virgin olive oils could be discriminated from pure olive oils, blended oils (extra virgin olive oils with sunflower oil or grapeseed oil) and other vegetable oils. These results suggest that determining squalene and tyrosol in seed oil samples could be useful in distinguishing between extra virgin olive oil and blended oils as a screening method.

Keywords: HPLC; adulteration; extra virgin olive oil; squalene; tyrosol.