Sensory evaluation and consumer perception of some commercial green table olives

The objective of this study is to evaluate the physico‐chemical and sensorial characteristics of some commercial green table olives. Also, it seeks to elaborate the sensorial background of consumer preferences of different green table olives.

Four green table olive samples (Çelebi, Domat, Kaba, and Ayvalık) commonly consumed in Turkey were chosen and collected from a local producer. Dimensional measures, salt content, pH value, oil content, titrable acidity, L value, a* value, b* value and texture of samples were assessed by the AOAC methods. A panel described and measured the appearance (greenness, yellowness, globeness), aroma (fresh olive, vinegary, soapy, musty), flavour (sour, salty, bitter, hay, oily) and texture properties (firmness, flesh/stone adherence, fibrousness, watery). In addition, 50 consumers evaluated hedonic values.

The salt content, pH value, oil content, titrable acidity, L value, a* value, b* value and texture of samples were found to following values 2.91‐5.46 percent, 2.80‐3.97, 4.67‐18.71 percent, 0.59‐1.40 percent, 49.96‐69.56, 1.35‐17.91, 19.57‐45.47 and 434.1‐895.7 g. Although prepared with the same technique, many properties of the olives were found different. This difference affected consumer preference and buying intentions as well.

The paper provides scientific data for researchers to design similar sensory descriptive analyses for different table olive samples.

The paper is helpful both to consumers and traders to determine the proximate and sensory attributes of commercial green olive samples.