INFLUENCE OF MICROWAVES ON OLIVE OIL STABILITY

The fruits of Picual and Shemlalli olive cultivars were exposed to mic rowaves generated from an oven at low and moderate power settings for 3, 6, 9 and 12 min. The physicochemical constants and fatty acid compo sition of the olive oil samples extracted from non-microwaved and micr owaved fruits were determined. The data demonstrated that microwaves d id not alter the values of the above mentioned parameters compared wit h the oil extracted from non-microwaved fruits. Quality assurance test s (acid, peroxide and TEA values) elucidated that microwaves generally increased the olive oil stability of Picual and Shemlalli cultivars d uring storage. In addition, microwaves generated from oven ot moderate power setting for 12 min. exhibited an antioxidant power on olive oil equivalent to that possessed by BHT at 200 ppm.