Olive cultures have been established which show good rates of triacylg
lycerol synthesis and accumulation. Microsomal fractions isolated from
such cultures have proven to be useful model systems for examining th
e regulation of olive oil quality. Intact cultures or subcellular frac
tions prepared therefrom have been used to study the effect of a commo
nly used pesticide, namely dimethoate, on triacylglycerol synthesis an
d consequently any effects which its use may have on olive oil quality
.