Pigment profiles of Spanish extra virgin olive oils by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry

This work studies the natural pigment profiles (chlorophylls and carotenoids) of Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOO) produced in different Spanish regions. The simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of EVOO natural pigments has been performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) using atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI). The results showed a similar natural pigment pattern for all the analysed EVOOs, although the total pigments content differed significantly. Moreover, the chlorophyll/carotenoid ratio was close to 1, while the lutein/β-carotene ratio was higher than 1, showing that lutein is the most abundant carotenoid in the studied Spanish EVOOs. Data from multivariate statistical approach demonstrated that the olive variety does not discriminate between EVOO samples. However, they were classified based on their origin allowing good differentiation of samples from the Basque Country and Canary Islands from the rest of regions. The results of this study show the differences of the nature and pigments concentration of Spanish EVOO samples, parameters that are of significance for reliable characterisation.