ON THE ORIGIN OF BENZENE, TOLUENE, ETHYLBENZENE, AND THE XYLENES IN VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - FURTHER RESULTS

Investigations into the sources of contamination of virgin olive oil b y gasoline components were concluded. Olives on the tree contained vol atile aromatic hydrocarbons at concentrations exceeding those correspo nding to the equilibrium with the environment. Present knowledge indic ates that up to 10 mu g/kg of benzene and 250 mu g/kg for the sum of b enzene, toluene, and the C-2-benzenes must be considered as possible b ackground concentrations. Aside from the oil mills, the rooms for inte rmediate storage of the olives were found to be an important source of contamination by gasoline vapours, since they often contain vehicles and other gasoline-driven engines. Parking of a small, hot grass mower into a similar room released an amount of gasoline that was sufficien t to contaminate the oil in olives above the proposed limit by a facto r of 100. Recommendations are derived for the producers to avoid conta mination of olive oil with gasoline components.