HS-GC-IMS screening method to support the virgin olive oils panel test: an inter-laboratory study

For extra virgin olive oils, it is crucial to ensure the authenticity of the declared and labelled commercial category. Olive oil companies, as well as quality control public and private laboratories, are often requested to rapidly assess the quality and purity of extra virgin olive oils. In this framework, a screening method based on gas chromatography coupled with ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) for the analysis of volatile compounds can be useful to support the virgin olive oils sensory analysis (Panel test). This instrumental approach can contribute to improve the overall efficiency of official quality and purity controls in the olive oil sector, thus protecting the consumer from the related common fraudulent practices.