OLIBERUS
Incorporation of the Health Claim for olive oil polyphenols, in relation to the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, on olive oils of the Ebro Valley. First concept testing for the creation of brnad NutrIberus.
Description:
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is the pure oil obtained from the fruit of olive trees. It is known that the chemical composition of EVOO is influenced by genetic (cultivar) and environmental factors (edaphologic characteristics and climate conditions). Due to this, the olive producing area is largely responsible for the specific characteristics of the EVOO. Since many years ago, big research efforts towards to find appropriate tools for determining the quality and authenticity of virgin olive oils have been made. These mechanisms are very welcomed by regulatory institutions, distributors and consumers because of the existence of high fraudulent activities detected around the genuineness of virgin olive oil, and consequently, its quality.
Researchers from the University of Zaragoza, Public University of de Navarra, University of Lleida and University of La Rioja participate in this consortium.
Research lines:
- Virgin Olive Oil quality and composition. Effect of agronomical (olive tree irrigation strategies, olive cultivar, olive fruit maturation index…), farming practices (including organic and conventional farming), climatic conditions of the crop season, and technological factors of the oil extraction process. Shelf-life studies of virgin olive oil.
- Valorisation of by-products from virgin olive oil extraction process for the recovery of phenolic compounds to prepare phenolic extracts. Preparation of functional foods.
- Development and validation of improved analytical methods for the determination of bioactive phenolic compounds of food and food ingredients.
- Quality control and food traceability.
- Analysis of the behavior of the final demand in agricultural and food products, and the commercial strategies of agri-food supply.
- Analysis of innovation decisions in the food chain.
Consortium Presentation:
The global aim of the Consortia is to establish the “Fingerprint” of the more representative monovarietal virgin olive oils produced in the Ebro’s Valley area of Spain. In order to achieve the goal we are aimed to build a multipurpose web platform, which will provide access to both the olive oil knowledge base, and to a useful and guided expert system able to determine the quality and origin of virgin olive oil. On the basis of innovative clustering techniques a Multiview Clustering Approach is proposed in order to find more understandable patterns o clusters of data specifics for a virgin olive oil variety with less uncertainity that the single data approach.
General Objectives of the Consortium are:
1) To conduct a comprehensive sampling, for three consecutive years, of the main mono-varietal virgin olive oils obtained from the Ebro’s Valley area of Spain.
2) To collect all data concerning the traceability of each of the virgin olive oil samples: olive tree cultivation parameters (climatology and edaphology) and olive oil extraction process parameters.
3) To create a database of mono-varietal virgin olive oils and determine the most relevant varietal markers for their authentication.
4) To perform a Multiview Clustering Approach to establish specific clusters this can act as fingerprint for a particular virgin olive oil variety.
6) To build a web platform that enables access both to the olive oil database, and to a useful and guided expert system, this could be able to determine the quality and origin of the olive oils. The web platform will be divided into three parts, distinguished by its functionalities as follows: trial support and advanced analyses, olive oil database, and olive oil expert system for stakeholders.
Members:
University
- Laura Rubió Piqué (PI, University of Lleida)
- Consuelo Pizarro Millán (Coordinator, University of La Rioja)
- Mª Mercedes Sánchez García (Coordinator, Public University of Navarra)
- Ana Cristina Sánchez Gimeno (Coordinator, University of Zaragoza)
- María Abenoza Giménez _ University of La Rioja
- Ramo Barrena Figueroa _ Public University of Navarra
- Isabel Esteban Díez _ University of La Rioja
- Teresa García López de Meneses _ Public University of Navarra
- Jose María González Sáiz _ University of La Rioja
- Alba Marcià Puig _ University of Lleida
- Mª José Motilva Casado _ Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino ICVV
- Emilio Pindado Tapia _ Public University of Navarra
- Ferdaous Zouaghi _ Public University of Navarra
- Lara Bou Fakheddine _ Public University of Navarra
Other entities:
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino ICVV