The research project is implemented in the framework of H.F.R.I call “3rd Call for H.F.R.I.’s Research Projects to Support Faculty Members & Researchers”

Kalamata natural black olives are one of the most economically important Greek table olives varieties, due to their high nutritional value and exceptional organoleptic characteristics. Although Kalamata olives align with modern consumer preferences for natural and minimally processed foods, the use of a significant amount of sodium chloride during fermentation is an obstacle to characterize table olives as functional foods. At the same time, even though spontaneous fermentations are prevalent in the table olive industry, the use of starter cultures is a strategy to mitigate spoilage risks and standardize the technological procedure. Taking also into account the conventional approaches currently applied to olive packaging, SPO-KAL-OLIVES proposes solutions to transform Kalamata olives from a traditional agricultural commodity into a high added-value functional food. For this purpose, Kalamata olives will be subjected to inoculated fermentations with a strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as starter culture, using three different salt brines, namely, 7 % (w/v) NaCl (control fermentation), 25 % substitution of NaCl by KCl, and 25 % reduction of the initial NaCl level. Throughout fermentations, metabolomics and metataxonomics will be performed, along with sensory evaluation in the final product. Afterwards, two innovative packaging approaches will be employed, by either using olive oil enriched with phenol-rich extract from the brine and natural antimicrobial compounds, or edible films enriched with phenol-rich extract combined with modified atmosphere. During storage, the quality of fermented olives in both packaging approaches will be monitored by metabolomics and metataxonomics, while sensory assessment will be performed at the end of the storage period. Finally, risk assessment studies will be conducted to ensure the safety of the packaged product throughout shelf-life.