Characterization of olive oils from slovene Istra

The proposed research project will try to implement the present olive growing and oil producting knowledge with data regarding the antioxidants, sterols, aliphatic and triterpenic alcohols and waxes in 20 - 30 samples of olive oils per year and some of them will be mutually compared on the cultivar, optimal ripeness and oil content basis. In such a way the knowledge base of major cultivars in Slovene Istra will be enriched. The survey of our previous research results points to the relatively huge difference in antioxidants and sensorial quality among two major cultivars, "Istarska Belica" and "Leccino". Furthermore, polyphenols and tocopherols are affected by the climate, fruit ripeness, olive producing and extraction techniques. Exact determination and assessment of mentioned characteristics and constituents will allow us to determine the time of the optimal olive ripeness thus giving perfectly balanced and sensorialy rich olive oils from Slovene Istra.