Characterization of Sicilian virgin olive oils. Note X. A comparison between <i>Cerasuola and Nocellara del Belice</i>Un noventa por ciento de los olivos de la cuenca mediterránea son destinados a la producción de aceite. Dentro de un amplio es varieties

Ninety percent of the olive trees are destined to oil production in the Mediterranean basin. Within a wide study of Southern Italian olive oils, with a particular reference to Sicily, several varieties of olive have been studied. The result of an analytical study carried out with two cultivars " Nocellara del Belice " and " Cerasuola " for six consecutive years is described in this paper. Parameters related to olive oil purity and shelf-life together with the composition (%) of sterols and fatty acids of the single oils are shown. Data were analyzed by the univariate non-parametric Mann-Whitney test and the multivariate procedure of Factor Analysis