Investigations of the adulteration of extra virgin olive oils with seed oils using their weak chemiluminescence Original Research Article

A weak chemiluminescence (CL) emission was observed in commercial Greek extra virgin olive oils (Knossos, Spitiko, Ananias, Altis, Minerva, Xenia) and in refined seed oils such as sunflower oils (Marata, Sanola, Sun, Mana, Sol, Minerva) as well as in corn oils (Flora, Minerva, Marata Sun and Sol) with potassium superoxide in the aprotic solvent dimethoxyethylene. On measuring the CL of mixtures of extra virgin olive oils with the cheaper refined seed oils, calibrations were produced which can be used for the determination of the adulteration of olive oils with seed oils down to 3%. Furthermore, depending on the kind of oils, “low” authenticity-CL-factors for olive oils (0.8–2.15 μmol l−1 gallic acid) and “high” for seed oils (4.5–11.2 μmol l−1 gallic acid) were calculated.