Benefits of Blending Oils
July 15/Food Weekly News -- According to recent research published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology, "In order to improve the quality of Chemlali olive oil, characterised by a very low stability (2.09 h), blending with two different monovarietal oils in various proportions: Chetoui and Rekhami (known by their higher stability 7.79 and 13.99 h, respectively) was carried out. blended oils had an improved oil composition compared to that of Chemlali."

"In fact, the highest percentage of Chetoui and Rekhami olive oils (90% of blending) can reduce the acidity up to 68.79% and 79.61%, respectively. At 50% blending, oleic acid increased from 53% to 59.54%, while palmitic acid decreased from 20.97% to 14.89% with Chetoui olive oil. At the lowest percentage (10-20%), chlorophylls in Chemlali olive oil underwent significant increase (from 0.18 to 0.47 and 0.65 mg kg(-1), respectively). The amount of carotenoids was higher when Chemlali was blended by 20-40% with Chetoui olive oil (from 2.23 to 4.13 and 4.33 mg kg(-1))," wrote M. Issaoui and colleagues, University of Monastir.

The researchers concluded, "Blending can be used in industrial applications to provide oils with improved composition related to stability, nutrition and functionality and endowed with the characteristics requested by consumers' preferences."

Issaoui and colleagues published their study in International Journal of Food Science and Technology ("Improvement of Chemlali Olive Oil Oxidative Stability by Blending with Chetoui and Rekhami Cultivars." International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2009;44(7):1323-1332).

For additional information, contact M. Hammami, University of Monastir, Faculty Med Monastir, Biochemistry Laboratory, UR Human Nutrition & Metab Disorder, Monastir 5019, Tunisia.

From the July 20, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition