The determination of moisture and volatile matter is a process carried out in the laboratory to determine the moisture and volatile substances that pass from the fruits of the olive oil to the oil during the extraction of olive oil.

The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock has published the Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Plant Oils (Communiqué no: 2012 / 2012) in 29. This Communiqué regulates the principles for the production, preparation, processing, preservation, storage, transportation and placing of the oils, which are covered by the name of the plant, under appropriate techniques and under hygienic conditions.

In the annex of the Communiqué titled Other Quality Criteria (Annex 2), the ratio of moisture and volatile matter present in natural olive oils to 105 m / m is at maximum 0,2.

When determining moisture and volatile content, the vegetable oils or olive oil sample to be analyzed is heated at 105 degrees. In this way, moisture and volatile substances are completely removed from the oil. Weight measurements are then performed and moisture and volatile loss is calculated as a percentage.

The determination of moisture and volatile matter is particularly important for the shelf life of vegetable oils or olive oil. Shelf life is the period during which olive oil can maintain its sensory, chemical and physical properties and nutritional values ​​if stored under proper storage conditions. These criteria, on the other hand, show that fats are healthy and of good quality.

Within the scope of chemical food analysis, moisture and volatile substances are determined in vegetable oils and olive oil by authorized laboratories. During these analyzes, the standards published by domestic and foreign organizations and the test methods accepted worldwide are complied with. The standard is based on:

• TS EN ISO 662 Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of moisture and volatile matter