Abstract
Over the last few decades, multiple biological properties, providing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive and anti-cancer benefits, as well as the characteristic pungent and bitter taste, have been attributed to Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) phenols. In particular, growing efforts have been devoted to the study of the antioxidants of EVOO, due to their importance from health, biological and sensory points of view. Hydrophilic and lipophilic phenols represent the main antioxidants of EVOO, and they include a large variety of compounds. Among them, the most concentrated phenols are lignans and secoiridoids, with the latter found exclusively in the Oleaceae family, of which the drupe is the only edible fruit. In recent years, therefore, we have tackled the study of the main properties of phenols, including the relationships between their biological activity and the related chemical structure. This review, in fact, focuses on the phenolic compounds of EVOO, and, in particular, on their biological properties, sensory aspects and antioxidant capacity, with a particular emphasis on the extension of the product shelf-life.
Highlights
Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated that adherence to the Mediterranean diet can be associated with longevity and with a reduced risk of morbidity and mortality [1,2]
This review summarizes the current knowledge of the biological properties and the characteristic pungent and bitter taste of olive oil phenolic compounds
The paper is divided into the following sections: Section 2 discusses the antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds; Section 3 illustrates the effects of hydrophilic phenols on health, and Section 4 considers some of the sensorial aspects
Summary
Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated that adherence to the Mediterranean diet can be associated with longevity and with a reduced risk of morbidity and mortality [1,2]. This was further confirmed by other authors [19,23] (Table 1) These compounds (aglycon derivatives of secoiridoid glucosides contained in the olive fruit) are generated during the mechanical extraction process of the oil, by means of the reactions of oleuropein, demethyloleuropein and ligstroside hydrolysis, catalysed by endogenous β-glucosidases [24]. In many EVOOs, phenolic compounds are usually present in various concentrations, ranging from 50 to 940 mg/kg In this perspective, studies involving humans and animals (in vivo and in vitro) have demonstrated that olive oil phenolic compounds have potentially beneficial, biological effects resulting from their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. The paper is divided into the following sections: Section 2 discusses the antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds; Section 3 illustrates the effects of hydrophilic phenols on health, and Section 4 considers some of the sensorial aspects
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