Healthier Traditional Green Natural Aloreña de Málaga Table Olives Through Mineral Chlorides Fortification During Packaging

Table olive processing implies losses of mineral nutrients and increased sodium levels due to using brine during fermentation and storage. This study investigated fortifying traditional <i>Aloreña de Málaga</i> table olives with mixtures of KCl, CaCl₂, and MgCl₂ during packaging to enhance mineral content while reducing NaCl. This research analyses the distribution of cations between olives and brines and employed the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to model mineral content and their contributions to the Reference Daily Intake (RDI). These models also facilitated the identification of optimal salt combinations for specific goals. Potassium, calcium, and magnesium contents in the olives increased from 657 mg/kg pulp (traditional) to 2578-6349 mg/kg pulp (experimental), from 858 mg/kg pulp to 858-5801 mg/kg, and from 41 mg/kg pulp to 41-2010 mg/kg pulp, respectively. Meanwhile, sodium decreased markedly, from 11,915 mg/kg pulp to about 6665 mg/kg. These changes represent a substantial improvement in the nutritional profile of these olives. Additionally, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and clustering techniques were used to group treatments based on their mineral nutrient profiles, facilitating the selection of formulations for industrial application. These findings promote the development of nutritionally enriched natural table olives, processed without lye treatment and washing.