TY - JOUR AU - Giannakopoulos, Evangelos AU - Salachas, Georgios AU - Zisimopoulos, Dimitrios AU - Barla, Sofia-Anna AU - Kalaitzopoulou, Electra AU - Papadea, Polyxeni AU - Skipitari, Marianna AU - Georgiou, Christos D. PY - 2020/08/01 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Long-Term Preservation of Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity in Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Physico-biochemical Approach JF - Free Radicals and Antioxidants JA - Free Rad. Antiox. VL - 10 IS - 1 SE - Original Article DO - 10.5530/fra.2020.1.2 UR - https://www.antiox.org/index.php/fra/article/view/3 SP - 4-9 AB - <p><strong>Objectives:</strong> This work, on low-cost controlled freeze methodology for stabilizing the phenolic content in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), is evaluated by studying four Quality Indexes (QIs): free acidity, as % of oleic acid (1<sup>st</sup>-QI); UV-absorption values; K<sub>272</sub>, K<sub>232</sub> and ΔK (2<sup>nd</sup>-QI); total phenolic content (TPC), as Gallic acid equivalence (3<sup>rd</sup>-QI); and lipid peroxidation products, as free malondialdehyde (MDA) (4th-QI). <strong>Methods:</strong> The study of QIs for EVOO under storage, absence of light, at 25, 4, -20 and -80°C, with or without N<sub>2</sub>-purge showed that the phenolic charge is stabilized for &gt; 12 months, at refrigeration conditions storage (~ 4°C) in the absence of oxygen, whilst the peroxidation of lipids is being kept at a low level. <strong>Results:</strong> The results showed that the high concentration of natural hydroxylphenols in the EVOO in combination with its degassing (via N<sub>2</sub>-purge) and storage at ~ 4°C, constitute the optimum conditions for preservation of olive oil as a long-lasting EVOO (LL [legal limit]-EVOO) with high added value. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The main scientific contribution of this study is: (i) development and evaluation of a methodology (freeze controlled treatment) for the long-term preservation of EVOO quality, (ii) understanding the physicochemical mechanism and factors determining EVOO quality and (iii) ready-to-use technology for the local and international market.</p> ER -