Objectives

Results

Projects

Publications

Personnel

Technology Laboratory of Olive and Subtropical Products and By-Products

 Objectives

Apparatus for the of olive oil oxidation Rancimat

The research activities of Food Technology department are focused on the following areas:

 The study on the changes in qualitative and organoleptic characteristics of olive oil, regarding the variety, the olive fruit’s stage of ripeness, the environmental conditions, the harvest and storage conditions of the fruits and olive oil as well as the study of new methodologies for the quality and purity of olive oil.

 The study and evaluation of innovations in olive oil extraction systems or their distributive equipment.

 The study of different olive crushing methods as well as of other treatments in the intermediate phases of olive processing on the quality of olive oil.

 The study of new technologies for the minimization and exploitation of olive oil mills by-products.

 The study of new technologies for the treatment and recycling of washing-machine waters of oil mill.

The creation of a new, modern, fully equipped laboratory of olive oil accredited in 13 analyses, for the support of the authenticity of the Greek olive oil, the rendering of services and the protection of the consumers.

 Results

Classification of the olive oils of Koroneiki and Tsounati cultivars based on the profile of their triacylglycerols and their fatty acids.

 Classification of the olive oils of the above cultivars in relation to the altitude and the profile of their fatty acids.

Study of qualitative and organoleptic characteristics of olive oils of some Greek and European cultivars in different maturity stages.

 Study of the effect of drought and salinity on the quality of olive oil.

 Since 1984 up to today. a total of 47 olive oil extraction systems from Greek and foreign manufacturing companies have been evaluated regarding their industrial yield, hourly capacity, and composition of olive oil and oil by-products. From these 3 were traditional pressing extraction systems, 30 were 3-phase centrifugation systems, 9 were dual-phase centrifugation systems and 5 were 3-phase centrifugation systems with less water.

 Study of the effect of different conditions during olive processing (crushing of olive fruits, malaxation of olive paste) on industrial yield and olive oil quality.

 Effect of commercial enzymes preparations during olive paste malaxation on oil yield and on qualitative characteristics of olive oil.

High perfomance liquid and gas chromatography 'apparatus'

 Study on the effect of fruit stone removal on the qualitative characteristics of the produced olive. The stone removal curried out with a special element adapted in an olive oil extraction system of small capacity that was located in our Institute’s oil factory. With this method, olive oil of exceptional quality was produced with big resistance in the oxidation.

 An "Electronically Controlled System" (ECS) was developed and evaluated in collaboration with the Technical University of Crete. This system can automatically record and adjust the conditions in the most important points of the olive oil extraction process. The ECS provides the following advantages: Increase of industrial yield of olive-crop from 0,2-0,5%, reduction of consumption of fuel and energy from 40-50%, reduction of consumption of used water at 10% roughly, reduction of losses in the by-products (oil-stone and waste water) and the maintenance of qualitative characteristics of olive oil.

 Study on the effect of the way and time of olive fruit storage on the quality of the produces olive oil.

 Research Projects

Olive oil extraction systems

  "Improvement of Olive oil Extraction and Technology". N.AG.RE.F. - DIMITRA ’95.

 "Polyphenols and tannins in olive oil and olive mill waste water. Antioxidant activity and mechanism of free radicals". GSRT - PENED.

  "The influence of agrotechnical, extraction systems and conservation on antioxidants of virgin olive oil". (IOOC)

  "Technology for Treatment and Recycling of the Water Used to Wash Olives" (UDOR) in CRAFT Programme of EU. (www.udor-project.com).

"Greek Olive Oil: Extraction technology, origin and quality of olive oil". (EPET II) Programme of General Secretary of Research and Technology.

"Minor components of olive oil" (IOOC).

  "Olive Oil Flavour and Aroma: biochemistry and chemistry of factors related to olive oil aroma and affect the perception of the consumer" Programme of EU AIR 3 CT94-1967.

  "Improvement of olive oil quality by biotechnological means" Programme of EU AIR 3 CT94-1355.

Modernisation and automation of olive oil extraction systems. (GSRT Crete Program LEADER II). Duration 1995-1999.

Characterization and Treatment of Olive Mill Waste Water (OMWW)” between Greece – Montenegro (contract GSRT 151-ε).

Modernization and upgrading of existing  infrastructure of the laboratory of Food Technology of the  Institute of Olive Tree and Subtropical Plants of Chania of National Agricultural Research Foundation (NAGREF) for  the accreditation of olive oil analysis.( 3rd Framework and NSFR).   

Traditional pressing type olive oil mill		Centrifugation type olive oil mill

 Publications

1. STEFANOUDAKI, E., KOUTSAFTAKIS, A., 1995. Qualitative characteristics of Cretan olive oil. Olivae No.56.

2. KOUTSAFTAKIS, A. STEFANOUDAKI, E., 1995. Results obtained on using dual-phase decanters to extract olive oil. Olivae No.56.

3. TYREE L., STEFANOUDAKI E. (1996). The olive pit and roman oil making Biblical. Archaeologist 59:3 171-178.

4. KOUTSAFTAKIS, A., STEFANOUDAKI, E., 1996. Diminuzione delle umidita e delle olio contenuto nella sansa prodotta con decantatori a due fasi. La Rivista italiana delle sostanze grasse -Vol. LXXIII 23-27.

5. KOUTSAFTAKIS, A., STEFANOUDAKI, E, IKONOMOU, D., 1996. Risultati ottenuti dalle estrazione delle olio de oliva con la pressa continua orizzontale a vite. La Rivista italiana delle sostanze grasse -Vol. LXXII 93-96.

6. STEFANOUDAKI, E., KOTSIFAKI, F., KOUTSAFTAKIS, A., 1997. The potential of HPLC triglyceride profiles for the classification of Cretan olive oils. Food Chemistry, Vol. 60 No 3 pp 425-432.

7. KOUTSAFTAKIS, A., STEFANOUDAKI, Ε., 1997. Effect of olive fruit maturity index and olive paste malaxation in industrial yield. Acta Horticulture, 474:709-712.

8. KOUTSFTAKIS, A. STEFANOUDAKI, E. and KOTSIFAKI, F., 1997. Evaluation of dual-phase olive extraction mills. Acta Horticulturae, 474: 713-716.

9. STEFANOUDAKI, E., ANGEROSA, M., DI GIROLAMO, KOUTSAFTAKIS, A. and KOTSIFAKI, F., 1997. Quality Characteristics of Olive Oils of Dual- and Three-phase decanters and laboratory mill. Acta Horticulture, 474: 705-708.

10. STEFANOUDAKI, E., KOUTSAFTAKIS, A. and KOTSIFAKI, F., 1997. Effect of microwave heating on fatty acid composition and quality characteristics of virgin olive oil, corn oil and sunflower oil. Acta Horticulturae, 474:671-674.

11. STEFANOUDAKI, E., KOTSIFAKI, F., KOUTSFTAKIS, A., 1999. Classification of the two major Cretan cultivars based on their fatty composition. J.Am. Oil Chem. Soc., 76 (5), 623-626.

12. KOUTSAFTAKIS, A., KOTSIFAKI, F. and STEFANOUDAKI, E., 1999. Effect of the extraction system stage of ripening and kneading temperature on the sterol composition of virgin olive oils. J.Am. Oil Chem. Soc 76 (12), 1477-1481.

13. STEFANOUDAKI, E., KOTSIFAKI, F., KOUTSAFTAKIS, A., 2000. Sensory and Chemical Profiles of three European olive Varieties (olea europea L.). J.Sci. Food Agric., 80:3 pp. 381-389.

14. KOUTSAFTAKIS A., KOTSIFAKI F., STEFANOUDAKI E. and CERT A. 2000. A three year study on the variation of several chemical characteristics and other minor components of virgin olive oils extracted from olives harvested at different ripening stages. Olivae 80: 22-28.

15. KOUTSAFTAKIS, A., KOTSIFAKI, F. and STEFANOUDAKI, E., 2000. Characterization of Cretan extra-virgin olive oils from Koroneiki variety. Influence of the location of origin on several analytical parameters. Olivae, 81: 20-25.

16. STEFANOUDAKI, E., CHARTZOYLAKIS, K., KOUTSAFTAKIS, A. and KOTSIFAKI, F., 2001. Effects of drought on qualitative characteristics of olive, cv Koroneiki. Grassas Y Axeitas 52 (3-4): 202-206.

17. KIRITSAKIS A., KOUTSAFTAKIS Α., STEFANOUDAKI E., KOSTOPOULOU M., DIGENAKIS M., POLIMENOPOULOS Z. 2001. Α Environmental pollution by the waste water of olive oil mills: How to eliminate the problem. Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology 2, No 4, 869-873.

18. STEFANOUDAKI E., HARWOOD J. 2003. Effect of different storage conditions and time on the oxidative stability of virgin olive oil. International Congress on the subject: "Olive and Environment", 338-343, Chania, Greece.

19. STEFANOUDAKI E., KOUTSAFTAKIS A., PAPAMANOLIOUDAKI Α. 2003. Effect of environmental conditions on olive fruit development and on the triacylglycerol and fatty acids profiles. International Congress on the subject: "Olive and Environment", 408-414, Chania, Greece.

20. ΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΥΔΑΚΗ E., ΚΟΥΤΣΑΥΤΑΑΚΗΣ Α., ΛΟΞΟΥ Β. ΚΑΙ ΠΑΠΑΜΑΝΩΛΙΟΥΔΑΚΗ Α. 2005. (Νέες Τεχνολογίες στα Συστήματα Εξαγωγής του Ελαιόλαδου. 22ο Επιστημονικό Συνέδριο της Ελληνικής Εταιρίας της Επιστήμης των Οπωροκηπευτικών. Πάτρα.) New Technologies in the Systems of Export of Olive oil. 22nd Scientific Congress of Greek Company of Science of Vegetables, 361-364, Patras.

21. CHARTZOULAKIS K., PSARRAS G., MOUTSOPOULOU M., STEFANOUDAKI E. 2006. Application of olive mill wastewater on olive orchards: Effect on soil parameters, plant performance and the environment. Olivebioteq. Vol. II, 37-43. Marsala- Mazara del Vallo, Italy.

22. CHARTZOULAKIS K., KASAPAKIS I., STEFANOUDAKI E., PSARRAS G., KOUTSAFTAKIS A. 2006. Effluent from olive washing process: Characterization and treatment for recycling. 8th International Conference on Protection and Restoration of the Environment. Paper no.P130.Chania, Greece.

23. STEFANOUDAKI E., WILLIAMS M., CHARTZOULAKIS C. and HARWOOD J. 2009. Olive oil qualitative parameters after orchard irrigation with saline water. J. Agric. Food Chem., 57, (4):  1421–1425.

24. STEFANOUDAKI E., WILLIAMS M., CHARTZOULAKIS C., HARWOOD J. 2009. Effect of irrigation on quality attributes of olive oil. J. Agric. Food Chem., 57, (15), 7048-7055.

 Personnel