New analytical methods for the quality control and authentication of olive oil

Abstract

The sensory, nutritional and pharmacological value of olive oil (OO) is scientifically documented and highly acknowledged [1, 2]. The beneficial effects of OO are attributed mainly to monounsaturated fatty acids but also to biophenols. Indeed, in 2011, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a scientific opinion approving the correlation of certain OO polyphenols (hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives) and protection of LDL from oxidative damage [3]. However, OO comprises a versatile and mutable mixture since its composition is strongly associated to multiple factors such as production procedure, olive origin, variety, collection season, etc. Moreover, many constituents are still unknown and most of them commercially unavailable. Thus, the main goal of the current study is the development of efficient LC-PDA and LC-HRMSn methodologies for authentication and quality control of OO [4]. Several constituents were isolated and identified while special attention was given to the chromatographic and spectrometric behavior of secoiridoids such as oleocanthal and oleacein which are major compounds in OO but highly unstable. Different platforms such as UPLC, PR-HPLC, NP-HPLC, SFC-UV and stationary phases (RP, NP, chiral) as well as diverse sample preparation procedures have been employed for the development of specific and reproducible methods for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of OO.