Effect of Halyomorpha halys Infestation on the Physicochemical Composition and Sensory Characteristics of Olive Fruits and Olive Oils

Halyomorphahalysis an insectnativeto easternAsia,whichin recentyearshasspreadwidelythroughoutEuropeandis ableto causeextensivedamageto agriculturalproduction.Thedamageis mainlyassociatedwiththetrophicactivitythatcantakeplacein variousplantorgans.H. halysdamageto agriculturalproductioncanaffectoliveproduction,quantitativelyreducingproductionanddamagingthequalityof theoilsproduced.In thepresentwork,thedamagecausedon theolivesof “Dritta”and“Leccino”cultivarsandtheeffectson thechemical,physical−chemical,andsensorycharacteristicsof theoilsobtainedfromthedamagedoliveswereevaluated.Theresultsshowedthatoilsobtainedfrominfestedoliveshadlowerquality.Therewasa statisticallysignificantreductionin thecontentof phenols,tocopherols,bioactiveantioxidantsubstances,andpositivedescriptors(fruity,bitter,pungent)in theorganoleptictaste.Moreover,theoilsobtainedfromthedamagedolivesshowedorganolepticdefects,mainlymold,compared with oils obtained from healthy drupes.