Sensory profile of green Spanish-style table olives according to cultivar and origin

This work studies the influence of cultivar and farming area on the sensory profile of green Spanish-style table olives, using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis. The lexicon developed was subsequently applied to samples of Gordal (G), Manzanilla (M), and Hojiblanca (H) from different origins: Arahal (A), Utrera (U), Alameda (Al), Estepa (E), Casariche (C), Alcalá de Guadaira (AG), Posadas (P), and Almendralejo (Am). The analysis of the data by ANOVA, considering the effect of the sample as fixed and those of the panelists and the sessions as random, showed good repeatability (no significant effect of the session). Bitter, salty, astringent, acid, alcohol and lupin descriptors had significant discriminating power. The samples were characterised by the following sensory attributes: HC, pungent and winery/wine; MP, salty and lupin; GA, acid and lactic acid; HAl, astringent and acetic/vinegar; and MAm, bitter and musty. The multivariate analysis combined with bootstrapping techniques offered a multidimensional view of repeatability, relationships among descriptors, and characterisation and segregation of products. The results then pointed to sensible differences among the sensory profiles of the samples due to cultivar and origin. [Display omitted] •A set of sensory descriptors for green Spanish-style olives is presented.•Based on the selected attributes, a Quantitative Descriptive Analysis was performed.•Panel performance and sample profiles were assessed by multivariate analysis.•Only a reduced number of descriptors significantly characterised the samples.•The significant descriptors discriminated products from diverse cultivars and origins.