S01 - Session O7 - Olive breeding: key genes to improve virgin olive oil phenolic composition

Authors: Ana G. Perez *, Rosario Sánchez, Carlos Sanz, Laura Arroyo

The phenolic components of virgin olive oil (VOO) are key to the organoleptic and functional quality of this emblematic food of the Mediterranean diet. Olive breeding for improving VOO phenolic composition, including both phenolic compounds with secoiridoid structures and tocopherols, is strongly dependent on the identification and characterization of the key genes determining the biosynthesis of these compounds in olive fruit and also of those acting on the biochemical transformation of the phenolic components during the oil extraction process. However, there is very little knowledge about the key enzymes/genes controlling these processes. In this work, the role of different olive genes, such as those of polyphenol oxidase in the metabolism of phenolic compounds in olive fruit, is analyzed and the possible use of this information to generate useful tools for olive breeders is discussed.