Paul Vossen University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma County 133 Aviation Blvd. # 109 Santa Rosa, CA 95403 pmvossen@ucdavis.edu http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu
California
Olive Oil Sensory Experience Founder of COOC 1991 Started CA Taste Panel 1996 Developed Protocol for LA Fair 2000 Taste Panel Recognized by IOOC 2001 Taste Panel Controlled by COOC 2005 Founded UCCE Research Panel in 2005 Taught Many Sensory Courses International Judge in Spain, Italy, Argentina, and Morocco Helped Establish UCD Olive Center and Taste Panel Worked with USDA and IOC to Establish USA Olive Oil Standards
SENSORY ANALYSIS APPLIED TO VIRGIN OLIVE OIL Panelists selected by threshold testing Panelists trained by the panel head Arrangement Test Panel recognized by IOOC in 2001
IOC Profile Sheet
Importance of Olive Oil Sensory Quality New Industry Varieties, harvest maturity, avoid defects Differentiate Imports, bulk, boutique, justify price differences Research Mechanical harvest, olive fly, terroir,, irrigation Yolo Premium Winners
1998-2005 Very few defective oils
UC Davis Centennial Blend Tasted 1-8-09 Overall Quality Average Balance Average Complexity Average Aroma Intensity Average Total Flavor Intensity Average Fruit Intensity Average Bitterness Average Pungency Average Sweetness Average Astringency Average 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Intensity
3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Wood/hay/straw Other Olive Oil Flavor Characteristics UC Davis Centennial Blend Tasted 1-8-09 Floral Buttery Tropical Banana Other Green Olive Fruit Grass (fresh Cut) Artichoke Herbaceous Green Apple Green Banana Green Tea Mint Eucalyptus Tomato Leaf Spice "allspice/cinnamon" Specific Flavor Characteristics Ripe Fruit Green Fruit Ripe Olive Fruit Other Ripe Fruit Nutty Flavor Strength Intense Medium Mild
10-point profile sheet
First 9 Points
Taste Oil # 1
Point by Point 1. Aroma Intensity: Positive or Negative (#) 2. Bitterness: Dull sensation back of tongue 3. Pungency: Harsh sensation throat 4. Fruit Intensity: Fruity green or ripe 5. Total Flavor: Overall B-P-F 6. Sweetness: Olive oil sweetness not sugar 7. Astringency: Dry moisture pulling sensation 8. Texture: Thickness of the oil (mouth feel) 9. Greasiness: Slimy feel in mouth and lips
Olfactory Smell-Aroma Olfactory bulb Receives nerve signal Olfactory nerves Elongated epithelium cells Neurons Protected by a layer of mucus
Taste Tongue + Oral Cavity Sweet Sour Salty Bitter Umami (MSG) Savory
Tongue Papillae Mouth Throat Taste Anatomy Pungent Taste receptor mechanism (+) and (-) charges molecular receptors
Bitterness (harsh, dull-stinging)
Pungency (burning, coughing, hot chili pepper, irritation) pungent
Fruit Intensity (#)
Retronasal Influence Aroma sensation of volatile compounds through the nose (a) Retronasal perceived through the back of the throat (b) Olfactory Epithelium Flavor combined sensation of taste, smell, and irritation through the nose mouth, and throat Tongue Throat
Sweetness Astringency Texture Greasiness
Defect Section
Fruitiness (Ripe Green)
Fruitiness (Ripe Fruit) apple, berry, tropical, peach, etc.
Fruitiness (Green) herb, grass, tomato leaf, mint, tea, eucalyptus, nettle, cinnamon, spice, etc.
Last 5 Points
Point by Point 12. Complexity: Number of flavors 13. Balance: Harmony of F-B-P (ratio) 14. Freshness: Zing, crisp, sharp, new 15. Overall Quality: Poor to excellent
The Perfect Olive Oil Fruitiness - very high (10) Bitterness - medium low (1-5) Pungency - medium (1-7) Complex (many different flavors - both green and ripe (10) Intense aroma very high (10) Fresh very high (10) Keeps a long time Great color Balanced (10) On a 10-point scale
Arbequina
Great Blending Oil Adds Fruitiness Mellows Arbequina + Picual + Coratina + Koroneiki + Arbosana + Mission + Chetui + Frantoio Aromatic, nutty, buttery, fruity, sweet, artichoke, ripe apple, almond
Tasting the 2nd Oil
Cultivar Selection 1. Lowering Cost Over-the the-row harvest Trunk shaker harvest 150 varieties = 90% 3 varieties = 50% 2. Production Yield oil/ha Alternate bearing Cold hardiness Disease resistance 3. Marketing Flavor Stability Rarity
Ascolana Unique Flavors Sevillano Hojiblanca Arauco Picual Chetui
Leccino Coratina Bosana Traditional Flavors Nocellara del Belice Frantoio Taggiasca
Chemlali Kalamon Koroneiki Picholine Marocaine Wonderful Flavors Ayvalik Bouteillan Picholine
Olive Oil Styles in CA Mission - Late Harvest - Ripe Manzanillo - Green or Ripe Sevillano Green nutty - herb Ascolano Ripe and Green New World Tuscan - Green Arbequina mild nutty, butter Koroneiki very fruity Arbosana green grassy Flavored oils
Mission (Picholine( Marrocaine) Late Ripening High yield Alternate bearing Very large fruit Easy to harvest Bad foliar disease High oil content Very Cold hardy Pineapple to harsh green tea flavor
Taste the 3rd Oil
Amphora Mission 2011 Mid Season Harvest (Nov 25 CA) Balanced Mission Green & Ripe
Taste Oils 4-5-6
Koroneiki (May Chile) # 4 Later Harvest - ripe FFA: 0.16 PV: 4.7 K-232: 0.89 K-270: 0.016 DAG: 94.8 PPP: 0.4 C18:1: 80.0 Poly: 450
#5 California Koroneiki harvested November 5, 2012
Good Blending Oil Adds Fruitiness Stability #6 Koroneiki + Arbequina + Manzanilla + Arbosana + Mission + Barnea + Frantoio Aromatic, bitter, tropical pungent, herbaceous, green tea, fruity, ripe banana, complex...
Early Harvest Can be Rough Astringent Strongly Bitter Strongly Pungent Ligneous Strong Green Tea High Polyphenols
Intermediate Harvest Balanced Sweet & Astringent Bitter Pungent Ripe & Green Floral Medium Polyphenols
Late Harvest Can be Bland Sweet Non Bitter Non Pungent Ripe Fruity Tropical Low Polyphenols
Good olive oil can be made just about anywhere Bad olive oil can be made anywhere
Revised Olive Production Manual University of California # 3353 Climate & Site Selection Botany Cultivars Physiology Pruning Irrigation Nutrition Pests Harvest Paul Vossen