Study of the combined effects of ripeness and production area on Bosana oil's quality.

The effects of olive ripeness, areas of production and their interaction on the chemical and sensory characteristics of cv. Bosana oil were assessed. The study was carried out in three areas of the Sassari province, Sardinia (Italy), at three stages of maturation. The results indicated the independence of the two factors: ripeness influenced saturated fatty acids, pigment content and deacetoxy oleuropein aglycone (DAOA) content and didn't affect the sensory characteristics, while production area influenced unsaturated fatty acids, content of vanillic acid and some sensory characters. In order to verify the interdependency of the two factors, statistical analyses (two-way ANOVA) were performed. Our study showed that a thoughtful planning of harvest times and production area could allow to obtain Bosana virgin olive oil of the highest quality. Furthermore, utilizing cultivars that maintain the properties of their oils even at late dates of harvest, it would be possible to optimize harvest times.