Qualitative evaluation of fermented olives grown in Southern Italy (cvs. Carolea, Grossa of Gerace and Nocellara Messinese)

The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality of olives of three typical cultivars of Southern Italy and correspondent brines after different fermentation variables: two NaCl concentrations with and without acidification up to pH 4). In particular, physicochemical parameters, microbiological counts and antioxidant activity of olive samples and brines were monitored and compared. The obtained results showed a good fermentation performance of studied olive cultivars , with a brine pH inside the legal limit of 4.3, also in samples were the pH correction was not performed. The pH lowering was slower in brine samples treated with the lowest salt concentration. Moreover, all samples manifested higher antioxidant activity after 240 days of brining, and total phenol content ranged from 9.22 to 20.78 g gallic acid kg-1 in olives. Among samples, Carolea olives showed the highest total phenolic content and the highest antioxidant activity after 240 days of fermentation.