EFFECT OF CLIMATE ON THE CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

The effect of climate on the chemical composition of virgin olive oil has received scant attention. In this work, the relationship between c hemical composition and altitude, the latter being an indirect paramet er related to climate and soil, was studied. Two altitudes, valley (< 400 m) and mountains (> 700 m) were studied; 126 samples of virgin oli ve oil were characterized by 53 compounds and it was found that sterol s and some triterpenic alcohols and hydrocarbons changed systematicall y with altitude. Two linear discriminant equations, with correct class ifications greater than 90%, were obtained and verified with samples o f another crop. Similar results were obtained.