Sterolic composition and triacylglycerols of Oueslati virgin olive oil: comparison among different geographic areas

The main triglycerides (TG) identified in the Oueslati virgin olive oil were 1,2,3-trioleylglycerol (OOO), 2,3- dioleyl-1-palmitoylglycerol (POO) and 2,3-dioleyl-1-linoleylglycerol (LOO) representing more than 80% of the total area of peaks in the chromatogram. Other minor triacylglycerols were 2,3-dioleyl-1-stearoylglycerol (SOO), 2-oleyl-3-palmitoyl-1-stearoylglycerol (SOP), 1-linolenoyl-2-oleyl-3-palmitoylglycerol (LnOP), 1,2-dilinoleyl-3-palmitoylglycerol (LLP), 1, 3-dioleyl-2-linolenoylglycerol (OLnO), 1-linolenoyl-2-linoleyl-3-oleylglycerol (LnLO) and 1,2,3-trilinoleylglycerol (LLL). The sterol profile of Tunisian virgin olive oils produced from Oueslati cultivar was established by gas chromatography using a flame ionisation detector (GC-MS). More than 10 compounds were identified and characterised. As expected for virgin olive oil, the main sterols found in all Oueslati olive oils were b-sitosterol, D5-avenasterol, campesterol and stigmasterol. Cholesterol, 24-methylenecholesterol, clerosterol, campestanol, sitostanol, D7-stigmastenol, D5, 24-stigmastadienol and D7-avenasterol were also found in all samples, but in lower amounts. Most of these compounds are significantly affected by the geographical origin of the oil. Besides the sterol components, two triterpene dialcohols, erythrodiol and uvaol, were also detected.