Variation in triacylglycerols of olive oils produced in Calabria (Southern Italy) during olive ripening

Variations in the triacylglycerol (TAG) content of virgin and extra virgin olive oil from cultivars grown in South West Calabria (Southern Italy) were studiedevery two weeks for three harvest years 2005-2006-2007. Three autochthonouscultivars from Calabria: Cassanese, Ottobratica and Sinopolese and seven allochthonous cultivars: Coratina, Itrana, Leccino, Nocellara Messinese,Nociara, Pendolino and Picholine were considered. With regard to the TAG evolution, the highest quantity was triolein (OOO) which increased duringripening; one of the minor components found was trilinolein (LLL) whichdecreased. A decreasing trend was observed for POO+SOL, the second major detected peak. Triacylglycerols were grouped by considering theirEquivalent Carbon Number (ECN). The ANOVA analysis demonstrated that the cultivar influenced the TAG composition at each harvest date and differenceswere statistically very highly significant (p ≤ 0.001), as well the harvestdate influenced the TAG composition of each cultivar and differences werestatistically significant (p ≤ 0.05), highly significant (p ≤ 0.01) and very highlysignificant (p ≤ 0.001).