NEW MIXER EQUIPPED WITH CONTROL ATMOSPHERE SYSTEM: INFLUENCE OF MALAXATION ON THE SHELF LIFE OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL.

To study the influence of operative conditions adopted during the malaxation of pastes on the shelf life of resulting oils we compared acidity percentage, peroxidase index, phenol compounds and oxidative stability, of the oil extracted from homogeneous batches of olive fruits from Coratina cultivar by using different malaxation atmosphere compositions.

Results reported in this research show a higher concentration of total phenols and a higher oxidative stability, in extra virgin olive oil using hermetically closed mixer with modified atmosphere in confront of the olive oil obtained mixing without modified atmosphere.

Finally from the analytical point of view, the process in inert atmosphere has demonstrated that there haven't been evidences of meaningful variations in the acidity percentage and peroxide number.