The effect of geographical origin on phytochemical profile and authenticity of Taggiasca Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: a metabolomics approach Biancamaria Senizza, Luigi Lucini and Marco Trevisan Department for sustainable food process, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italia The Taggiasca extra-virgin olive oil is a product recognized for its high quality. Due to presence of counterfeits, the corresponding consortium of producers (Olio DOP Riviera Ligure) recently applied for Protected Designation of Origin. This work aimed to ensure the authenticity and geographical origin of Taggiasca using an UHPLC/QTOF metabolomic approach followed by OPLS-DA multivariate data analysis and ROC validation of VIP markers. The approach proposed, based on profiling of secondary metabolites, allowed discriminating a “terroir effect”, with oils being discriminated according to cultivation altitude within the consortium, and with Taggiasca being discriminated from other cultivars from the same region and from other cultivars from different regions. Thereafter, a study based on inclusion of different % of other oils in Taggiasca was carried out to ensure its authenticity. The inclusion of other oils could be identified in the range 1080% of non-Taggiasca addition. Phenolics and phytosterols were the most common markers identified. Overall, metabolomics allowed identifying a rather distinctive phytochemical profile in Taggiasca, as a result of a strong genotype x environment interaction. Together with ensuring origin and authenticity, our results likely support the peculiar sensorial traits of Taggiasca.
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