The aim of this study was to produce different “table olive flours” from fruits at different
maturation stages. “Table olive flour” is here presented as an innovative product that can gain
importance as a bioactive rich ingredient. Three types of natural table olives from cv. Cobrançosa, i.e.,
green, turning color, and black olives, were soaked, freeze-dried and ground to obtain three different
flours. Their physical and nutritional characterization, lipid fraction (fatty acids and tocopherols
profiles), phenolic profile, and antioxidant activity (total reducing capacity, radical scavenging
activities of DPPH and ABTS +) were analyzed. “Table olive flours” with different colors and
different characteristics were obtained. The “green table olive flour” had the lowest fat content and
energy. On the contrary, it showed the highest protein, carbohydrate contents, percentages of oleic
acid (C18:1), and MUFA, as well as total tocopherols. It also showed the highest antioxidant activity.
The “black table olive flour” was the one with the highest percentages of palmitic acid (C16:0), SFA,
and total reducing capacity. In the three types of developed “flours”, nine phenolic compounds were
detected, hydroxy-tyrosol being the major, followed by tyrosol, and luteolin. In conclusion, from
natural table olives of cv. Cobrançosa, different “table olive flours” with distinct properties and high
amounts of health-promoting compounds can be produced.
This research was funded by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal). The authors
are grateful for the financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020),
SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2020) and REQUIMTE-LAQV (UIDB/50006/2020) units, AgriFood XXI I&D&I
project (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000041) and GreenHealth Project (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000042)
co-financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the NORTE 2020 (Programa Operacional
Regional doNorte 2014/2020). Nuno Rodrigues thanksNational funding by FCT—Foundation
for Science and Technology, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program contract.
