BORAGE OIL (BORAGO-OFFICINALIS L) - AN IM PORTANT SOURCE OF GAMMA-LINOLENIC ACID .2. TOCOPHEROLS AND CHLOROPHYLL CONTENT AND SENSORY ANALYSIS OF BORAGE OILS EXTRACTED BY DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND BLENDED WITH EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Contents in tocopherols and chlorophyll in the unsaponifiable fraction of borage oils extracted with different techniques, extra virgin oliv e oil and different mixtures of them (10 and 15%), have been evaluated . A panel test (consumer's test, duo-trio test, and classification tes t) has also been realised with the purpose to determine the organolept ic quality of the different samples. The obtained results put in evide nce the presence of alpha-tocopherol in the extra virgin olive oil onl y (94% of alpha tocopherol on total tocopherols), while the borage oil contains beta, delta and gamma isomers able to explicate a minor anti oxidant activity than alpha. The chlorophyll content in borage oils, w hich depend son the extraction technique used, is not significantly ch anged during the preservation time considered (four months at room tem perature). Sensorial analysis confirms that the off-flavours of pure b orage oil are masked in the blends by extra virgin olive oil added til l 80%.