USE OF OLIVE CULTURES TO EVALUATE TRIACYLGLYCEROL SYNTHESIS

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 .