Effect of olive paste pH during malaxation on virgin olive oil properties

kg⁻¹ oil). DPPH radical scavenging activity paralleled the phenolic profile, with oils obtained at lower pH exhibiting approximately twofold greater activity than those obtained at pH 5.7 and 6.7. Several quality parameters exhibited significant quadratic responses to pH variation. Color attributes were also influenced by pH, with acidic conditions producing brighter oils with reduced yellowness. These findings indicate that controlled pH modulation during malaxation can influence phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, and visual characteristics of virgin olive oil, providing mechanistic insight into the pH sensitivity of its extraction and compositional changes.