Influence of ecological cultivation on virgin olive oil quality

The quality of oil extracted from ecologically cultivated olives of the Pic ual variety was compared with oil extracted from Picual olives cultivated u sing conventional methods. Olive trees were grown in a two-section plot. Fr uits from each plot were harvested at various stages of ripeness, and acidi ty value, peroxide index, ultraviolet absorption at 232 and 270 nm, stabili ty to oxidation, sensory analysis, fatty composition, and contents of tocop herols, phenolic compounds, and sterols were determined on oil extracted fr om each treatment. The results showed that the organic virgin olive oil was of a superior quality to the conventional virgin olive oil in ail the qual ity parameters analyzed.