Turmeric-flavoured olive oil: A promising path to natural antioxidant benefits

The influence of the addition of Curcuma longa (turmeric) powder to Ottobratica variety extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) by using malaxation or infusion processes to obtain flavoured virgin olive oil (FVOO) was determined. FVOO was monitored during one year of storage at room temperature in the dark. FVOO obtained malaxation process (CM) showed the lowest free acidity value, irrespective of the time of storage considered. C* values of 7.23 vs 6.38 and 6.79 were recorded for the FVOO obtained infusion process (CI) and CM FVOO, respectively. Moreover, CM exhibited the highest radical scavenging activity with IC₅₀ values of 9.48 and 3.49 μg mL⁻¹ at T0 in DPPH and ABTS tests, respectively. However, the addition of turmeric did not improve the bioactivity of the FVOO against key enzymes involved in metabolic syndrome. Collectively our data have demonstrated, once again, how the enrichment of EVOO with an aromatic and functional matrix such as turmeric does not always lead to an improvement in its intrinsic functional characteristics despite the fact that it may be appreciated by the consumer for its sensorial characteristics.