Olive Oil Quality Evaluation and Analysis of Phenols in Other Fats by Means of an Enzyme Sensor Directly Operating in n-Hexane Solutions

L. Campanella, G. Crescentini, G. Favero, A. Fortuney, M.P. Sammartino, M. Tomassetti

Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Roma ''La Sapienza'', P. le Aldo Moro, 5 - 00185 Roma (Italy)

Article history:
Received June 16, 1994
Accepted September 26, 1994

Summary:
A method for the determination of phenols in oils and fats, based on a tyrosinase biosensor, where the enzyme is immobi­lized on a K-Carrageenan gel, is described. The sensor out operate directly in a non aqueous solvent and is particularly suitable for the determination of phenols in olive oil. An evaluation of the olive oil quality is proposed and the phenols content of other edible oils and fats is determined. Finally, a comparison with a classical spectrophotometric method, usually employed for the same purpose, is reported.