New hydrothermal treatment of alperujo enhances the content of bioactive minor components in crude pomace olive oil

The application of a new process based on the hydrothermal treatment of olive oil waste (alperujo) led to a final solid rich in pomace olive oil (POO) enriched in minor components with functional activities. The effects of the time (15-90 min) and the temperature (150, 160, and 170 °C) of the thermal processing of alperujo on the yield, quality, and enrichment of minor components of crude POO were evaluated. The final treated solid had an increase in oil yield up to 97%, with a reduction in solids up to 35.6-47.6% by solubilization. Sterols increased up to 33%, aliphatic alcohols increased up to 92%, triterpenic alcohols increased up to 31%, squalene increased up to 43%, tocopherols increased up to 57%, and oleanolic acid increased up to 16% by the new treatment. The increase maintains a high concentration of functional substances probably even in the refining POO.