Virgin Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: Insights on Their Occurrence, Health-Promoting Properties and Bioavailability

Abstract

Virgin olive oil is a highly appreciated edible oil, considered as a relevant component of the Mediterranean diet. The spread of this foodstuff all over the world is making, to a certain extent, that new markets and consumers are getting used to this “Mediterranean’s golden treasure”. Currently, there is great momentum in research relating virgin olive oil intake to healthiness, which has been mainly associated with its phenolics content. Phenolics are considered health-promoting compounds due to their multifaceted biochemical actions that can potentially reduce the risk of various health problems. Yet, since the health-promoting effects of various phenolic compounds have been widely attributed to their metabolic products rather than the naturally occurring forms, the assessment of virgin olive oil phenolics bioavailability is still gaining immense attention and considered a great hot topic among researchers. In the first section of this contribution, the main groups of phenolic compounds identified in virgin olive oil are described, their qualitative and quantitative variability is discussed while analytical approaches applied for their determination are highlighted. The second section reports the beneficial health properties of virgin olive oil consumption related to its phenolics content paying special attention to their bioavailability.

Discrimination of Olive Oil and Extra-Virgin Olive Oil from Other Vegetable Oils by Targeted and Untargeted HRMS Profiling of Phenolic and Triterpenic Compounds Combined with Chemometrics

“…Secoiridoids such as oleuroside, elenolic acid, ligstroside aglycone, secoiridoid derivatives (oleocanthal or p-HPEA-EDA (Ligstroside aglycone decarboxymethyl dialdehyde form); 3,4-DHPEA-EDA (Dialdehydic decarboxymethyloleuropein aglycone); 3,4-DHPEA-EA (Aldehydic decarboxymethyloleuropein aglycone)), and lignans ((±)-pinoresinol, 8-hydroxypinoresinol, acetoxypinoresinol) represent the major group of phenolic compounds identified in the EVOO and VOO. These compounds have been associated with some remarkable health effects of virgin olive oil intake and contribute to the higher oxidative stability and higher bitterness intensity of EVOO and VOO [ 42 ].…”

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Composition and its Bioactive Phenolic Compounds

“…Extra virgin olive oil contains saponifiable fraction (98-99%) made up of triacylglycerols and such as oleic, linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids, as well as minor unsaponifiable fraction (1-2%) contains vitamins, such as tocopherols, polyphenols (primarily tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein), sterols, phospholipids, waxes, squalene, other hydrocarbons [1,2,[4][5][6]. Oleic acid is one of the main characteristics of olive oil that is associated with health.…”

“…The health benefits of extra virgin olive oil are primarily due to its high concentration of oleic acid and phenolics [2,3,6,18,19]. Phenolic compounds play a variety of physiological functions in the stability, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of extra virgin olive oil and they may be present up to 50 to 1000mg/kg.…”

“…Phenolic compounds play a variety of physiological functions in the stability, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of extra virgin olive oil and they may be present up to 50 to 1000mg/kg. The metabolites produced during processing as well as those initially found in olive fruit are included in virgin olive oil's phenolic fraction [6]. Oxidative stress and inflammation significantly contribute to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases since phenolics directly contribute to human cells' redox balance.…”

“…Thus, it has has been shown that the phenolic compounds have antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and antitumoral properties. They can also modulate gene expression to safeguard proteins involved in cellular mechanisms for oxidative stress resistance, inflammation, and lipid metabolism [1,6,20]. Phenolic substances play a variety of physiological roles in the stability, nutritive content, and sensory properties of the oil.…”