The use of the oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) essential oil and hydrosol in green olive fermentation

The effect of oregano the (Origanum vulgare L.) oil at the levels of 0.05, 0.1 and 0.3% and oregano hydrosol on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics of the green olive (Edremit variety) fermentation was investigated. The initial pH of the oregano oil added samples were higher than the other treatments, which were above 5.8. The highest final acidity was observed in the hydrosol+brine combination (0.53%). The initial LAB population on the first day of the fermentation was high in the diluted hydrosol (8.89 log cfu ml(-1)) and control (8.47 log cfu ml(-1)) samples. But a significant difference was not observed between the LAB counts of the treatments on the 40(th) day of fermentation. The control and brine+oregano hydrosol samples had the highest sensory scores.