Bioactive Phytochemicals from Olive (Olea europaea) Processing By-products

Abstract

AbstractThe olive sector is key in the Mediterranean countries and comprises olive oil extraction and table olive production, carried out by companies of different typologies and technological development. Due to increased awareness of the Food-Health-Environment Nexus, the popularity of olive oil has been steadily increasing worldwide, and consequently, more biowastes are produced (e.g., olive pomace and wastewaters). Comparatively to the olive oil industry, the table olives’ processing may generate highly variable amounts of wastewaters of different types, from close to zero waste, when olives are just dehydrated, as in Greek-style, to the serious environmental issues posed by the preparation of oxidized black olives (e.g., Californian-style). Most common industrial processes for olive oil and table olive obtainment generate biowastes that are pollutant and costly to treat. Such biowastes can be viewed as an environmental burden or a source for highly demanded chemicals, mainly due to their high content in phenolic compounds, which are highly valued by pharma and food industries, Therefore a growing number of publications and patents highlight the relevance of a circular economy approach in allowing increased profits through some innovation and process optimization. It is noteworthy that the circular approach aims at optimizing the resources (by re-using them and tackling waste) while minimizing the environmental impact of manufacturing operations (eco-economic decoupling). The current chapter focuses on olive by-products, presenting their compositions, highlighting the presence of certain bioactive compounds. We discuss herein prospective ways to valorize olive processing by-products in compliance with the 2030 agenda and with strict legislation on environmental protection. We believe that the information and proposed strategies are relevant to many stakeholders including smallholders in developing countries.KeywordsOlive oilTable oliveWastewaterOlive pomaceBiowaste valorizationPolyphenolsHydroxytyrosolTyrosolTocolsCircular economy