Características químicas do azeite de oliva (olea europaea l.) extra virgem comercializados em diferentes sistemas de embalagens

Abstract

Extra virgin olive oil participation has increased in the market, mainly due to the high divulgation of its beneficial effects to health linked to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids and micronutrients present in its composition. Many factors point that extra virgin olive oil has antioxidant properties, acting against aging, on the combat to bad cholesterol levels and cardiac diseases. All considered, this project aimed define a more appropriated packaging system to marketing having as parameter of evaluation the analysis of acidity, peroxide, refraction and saponification indices. The analysis to the evaluation and the indices were fulfilled with four different extra virgin olive oil brands with metal and glass package. The results were evaluated and compared according to the current legislation and, based on this, it was carried out an analysis of the packaging influence in the final product. Within the obtained results to the acidity and refraction indices, all the four extra virgin olive oil brands analyzed are in in accordance with the parameters required by the legislation. For the peroxide indices, metal packages had higher values than those found in glass packaging, even though all of them are in accordance with the parameters required by the legislation. This difference shows a certain interference. Regarding the saponification indices, all of the four brands analyzed were outside the limit established by current legislation, pointing out that it was not the different packaging systems that significantly interfered with the final product. From the analyzed parameters, it was concluded that there was no difference in the quality of the extra virgin olive oils analyzed when comparing the packages in question, glass and metal.