Sesquiterpene Fingerprinting by Headspace SPME–GC–MS: Preliminary Study for a Simple and Powerful Analytical Tool for Traceability of Olive Oils

Solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is employed to characterise the head space composition of extra virgin olive oil with particular emphasis on some sesquiterpenes useful for oil classification. It is demonstrated that α-muurolene and α-farnesene contents (normalised to α-copaene), besides discriminating between Apulian and foreign oils, is even capable of differentiating between different sub-brands of Terra di Bari (protected denomination of origin) oils, produced in neighbouring, very restricted areas of the Apulian region.