Developments in the detection of adulteration of olive oil

The authenticity of products labelled as olive oil is of great importance from the standpoints of both commercial value and health aspects. Over the years, a high degree of sophistication has evolved in chromatographic methods for the analysis of both major and minor components of oils and fats. At the same time, spectroscopic methods are emerging as potential tools for rapid screening of samples for the detection of adulteration. However, the complexity and intrinsic variability of biological samples such as olive oil and its potential adulterants demands the application of multivariate calibration or pattern-recognition techniques to aid interpretation of the data obtained using these instrumental methods. Combination of the techniques of analytical chemistry and chemometrics is mandatory for unequivocal identification and quantification of the adulteration of olive oil.