CONCLUSION
This work proposed a modification for the traditional way that black-table olives have been processed by a great part of the Turkey. The traditional dry salted method was modified by lowering salt and adding starter culture. At the same time, a new preservation method (irradiation) has been proposed to the black table olive sector. Starter culture use in dry salted olives produced a final product with lower pH value and higher free acidity. Fermentation of olives with starters lower salt concentration compared to those traditionally used by the producers. It is important because it allows the production of Gemlik table olives with low salt content.
In this study, the effect of irradiation on black table olive storage was investigated for the first time. Gamma-irradiation at the doses tested (1, 3, 5 kGy) seems to have little effect on total phenolic amount and antioxidany capacity of the black table olive. Generally no significant differences between the 1 kGy and 3, 5kGy has been found. 1 kGy irridation seemed to be a suitable method for black olive preservation and lower doses may be studied in future studies. This study suggested that suitable doses of irradiation might be carefully selected and used to minimise the loss of antioxidant phenolic compounds in black table olive during storage.
Due to market demand for new preservaion methods, the results of this study will be beneficial for the consumers and the table olive sector. The resulting product could be of higher quality with extended shelf-life while being at the same time safer for the consumer.
Dry salted table olives must be valued in the future taking into consideration their high content in bioactive compounds.