Scientists Say Zinc-Enriched Table Olives Offer Health Benefits
Scientists in Spain have develÂoped a new type of table olives enriched with zinc, which improves firmÂness and reduces bitÂterÂness. These olives offer health benÂeÂfits, are more staÂble, and could proÂvide nearly 80 perÂcent of the recÂomÂmended daily intake of zinc in just ten olives.
A new niche in table olives enriched with zinc — which improves firmÂness and reduces bitÂterÂness has been develÂoped in Spain.
Olives are usuÂally preÂserved with sodium chloÂride (table salt) but sciÂenÂtists at the Institute of Fat, in Seville, have found a way to increase their nutriÂtional value by adding some zinc salt. They say the resultÂing prodÂucts not only offer health benÂeÂfits, they are more staÂble.
After triÂals with Aloreña de Málaga olives they conÂcluded that a level of 0.75g/L of Zinc chloÂride in the packÂing brine offered the best balÂance of facÂtors such as bitÂterÂness, acidÂity, saltiÂness, firmÂness and crunchÂiÂness.
The conÂsumpÂtion of ten such olives would supÂply nearly 80 perÂcent of the recÂomÂmended daily intake of zinc, they said in an artiÂcle last month in the LWT — Food Science and Technology jourÂnal.
Olive Oil Times spoke to research proÂfesÂsor, Dr. Antonio Garrido Fernández from the institute’s Department of Food Biotechnology.
What inspired the project?
It’s part of our research aimed at reducÂing the sodium conÂtent of table olives while enrichÂing them with nutriÂtionÂally desirÂable comÂpounds.
We focused on minÂerÂals because they are easy to add to end prodÂucts, and we found zinc interÂestÂing because of its role in numerÂous bioÂlogÂiÂcal processes.
Antonio Garrido Fernández
Who might these zinc-enriched olives attract?
They would appeal to those wantÂing to ensure they get the recÂomÂmended daily intake of zinc, which is not exactly abunÂdant in most foods and yet is involved in more than 300 types of bioÂlogÂiÂcal activÂiÂties in the human body.
Also, an inforÂmal surÂvey found they were highly rated because the natÂural bitÂterÂness of olives is not as strong in them.
Furthermore, because zinc is recÂomÂmended in cases of diarÂrhea, it could be a way to proÂvide that eleÂment preÂvenÂtively, although no data is yet availÂable on using these prodÂucts for that reaÂson.
And from a busiÂness point of view, they offer a new forÂmat in an imporÂtant niche — conÂsumers conÂscious of the diet/health link — which is boomÂing.
When will they go on sale?
Various comÂpaÂnies are interÂested and we are develÂopÂing a research conÂtract with one that seeks to offer a zinc-enriched prodÂuct that also has improved prodÂuct staÂbilÂity, thanks to the inhibitory effect that zinc salts have been seen to have on almost all the comÂmon yeasts in table olives.
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