Bioactives and nutraceutical phytochemicals naturally occurring in virgin olive oil. The case study of theNocellara del BeliceItalian olive cultivar

Abstract

This work reports on the composition and bionutritional value of organic virgin olive oil from the Nocellara del Belice variety, one cultivated in the olive areas of the Sicily region, Italy. Destoned oils obtained by processing olives with a destoning-based procedure were compared with conventional oils. This innovative technique, consisting in removing the stone from fruits prior to processing, strongly enhanced the already high-quality level of the conventional product. An in-depth analytical investigation from 2008 to 2010 showed how this innovative olive extraction process led to an excellent peculiar final product, mainly attributable to the improved biophenol and volatile composition, as well as higher concentrations of the lipophilic and vitamin antioxidants (tocopherols and tocotrienols). It had higher levels of oleocanthal (p-HPEA-EDA), a nutraceutical compound exerting actions against COX1 and COX2 (cycloxygenases). Its head-space aroma displayed new volatile phytomolecules and also had higher levels of green volatiles from the lipoxygenase (LOX)-pathway (one having as precursors the polyunsaturated fatty acids containing a cis-cis-1,4-pentadiene system). Among the other bioactives, we highlight its significant levels of trans-β-carotene and xanthophylls (lutein, violaxanthin, neoxanthin and other carotenoids). Its enhanced nutritional value was also attributable to the increased intensity of valuable tasting notes.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Lesson from Nutrigenomics

“…Nutritional and anti-oxidant properties of EVOO are related to the presence and concentration of tocopherols, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds which are of great importance on human health [19]. Notably, the Mediterranean countries presented the lowest intake of total polyphenols compared to non-Mediterranean countries and the United Kingdom [20].…”

Contribution of Organically Grown Crops to Human Health

“…Quite a number of publications have evaluated the relationship between tocopherols content as related to organic versus conventional farming. A range of different crops have been evaluated in these studies including wheat, barley, rice, strawberries, peach, pears, plums, olives, sunflower, potatoes, fava beans [ 10 , 57 , 93 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , 101 ]. Generally, the results from most investigations showed no difference in the content of tocopherols in the crops dependent on the farming system applied [ 10 , 57 , 93 , 97 , 98 , 99 ].…”

Analysis of Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Two Italian Regions by Means of Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Relaxation and Relaxometry Measurements

“…With the growing awareness of food safety and quality, consumers continuously demand reassurance on food origins and content, and this also applies to extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), an important basis of the Mediterranean diet. There is a great interest by both consumers and producers to have available rapid, cheaper, reliable, and non-destructive screening techniques for the determination of olive oil authenticity at any point of the production and distribution chains. − Analytical protocols using high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy − have been used in several studies, mainly for the characterization of the triacylglycerol (TAG) fraction of olive oil. 1 H NMR spectroscopy appears to be the preferred NMR method , as a result of its higher sensitivity and shorter relaxation times of proton nuclei with respect to other nuclei, such as carbon 13 − and phosphorus 31. , However, some limitations exist also in the case of 1 H NMR; i.e., the presence of scalar coupling between the neighboring protons and the much smaller chemical shift ranges (∼15 ppm) for protons often result in overcrowded spectra with severe signal overlap, making the analysis of the spectra more difficult .…”