Physico-chemical and sensory evaluation of virgin olive oils from several Algerian olive-growing regions

Olive cultivar diversity is rich in Algeria but most remain unexplored in terms of quality traits. This work aimed to evaluate the physicochemical and organoleptic quality of twenty olive oil samples belonging to four Algerian cultivars (Chemlal, Sigoise, Ronde de Miliana and Rougette de Mitidja) collected throughout the national territory. Physical-chemical and sensory results showed that 60% of the oils belong to the extra virgin category, while 40% were classified as “virgin olive oil”. The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a great variability in fatty acids composition between the samples depending on the cultivar and origin. Oleic acid was the most abundant and varied between 64.84 and 80.14%. Extra virgin olive oils with quality attributes are eligible for a label. Rougette de Mitidja, Ronde de Miliana and Sigoise from Oran showed great potential.