Physicochemical traits of olive fruit and oil from eight Moroccan wild olive (Olea europaea L. Subsp. Oleaster) populations

As one of the top global producers of olives and olive oil, Morocco has important olive genetic resources including several international cultivars and wild local populations (WLPs). Little is known about fruit and olive oil from these WLPs. Hence the originality of this study, which aimed at investigating fruit and olive oil from eight Moroccan oleaster populations (MOPs). At full ripening stage, fruit moisture content (MC), oil content (OC), crude protein content (PC), and mineral profiling were determined. Extracted oil was characterized in terms of basic quality indices (Free fatty acids, moisture, iodine value, refractive index, peroxide value, p-anisidine index, totox, and specific extinction (K232 and K270). Likewise, purity indices (fatty acids, sterols, erythrodiol, uvaol, and chlorophylls) and antioxidant substances (tocopherols) were investigated in comparison with 'Moroccan Picholine'. Our outcomes show significant variations among the studied MOPs in terms of MC (4.53-8.41 g/100 g), OC (12.25-31.81 g/100 g), and PC (3.39-5.99 g/100 g). Fruit mineral elements varied widely among fruit parts (pulps and stones) and MOPs origin, and the main macro -elements were calcium, potassium, and magnesium, while the main micro -elements were iron, copper, zinc, and manganese. Extracted oil showed important variations with regard to the measured physicochemical traits except fatty acids and sterols. beta-sitosterol was found to be the most abundant sterol compound, followed by Delta-5-avenasterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol, while oleic acid (C18:1) was found to be the predominant fatty acid in all samples. These outcomes were confirmed by principal component analysis. In conclusion, Moroccan oleaster fruits could be deemed as an important source of proteins and mineral elements, while the extracted oils could be a valuable source of vitamin E, vital fatty acids and sterols for human diet.