Compounds Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Research Articles

Bioactive compounds in Spanish extra virgin olive oils: Migration and stability according to the culinary technique used

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a basic food of the Mediterranean diet and an important source of bioactive compounds, especially phenolic substances. The culinary techniques to which the oil is subjected before consumption cause the migration of these compounds, hence the importance of studying their stability before and after culinary treatment. We determined the behaviour of the phenols present in EVOO and its total antioxidant capacity before and after the use of various culinary techniques such as deep frying, boiling (in a water/oil mixture (W/O) and sauteing, observing that the study parameters varied according to the variety of oil and the culinary technique used. Significant statistical differences were observed between the different varieties of EVOO according to the culinary technique used. But this was not the case with respect to polyphenol content, for which no statistically significant differences were observed among the different varieties of EVOO according to the culinary techniques employed (p > 0.05), except with the Arbequina variety (p < 0.05). With respect to the individual polyphenols – tyrosol, p-vainillin, vanillic acid, gallic acid, trans-caffeic acid, ferulic acid and luteolin – our analysis shows that although there were differences in content between raw EVOO and EVOO treated with each of the culinary techniques, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There were significant losses of oleocanthal with the W/O boiling technique, but content increases were observed following sauteing and deep frying with respect to raw EVOO. Total antioxidant capacity presented a similar pattern in all samples, with increases after sauteing and decreases after W/O boiling and deep frying. ABTS was the most suitable technique for determining antioxidant capacity in EVOO. In short, the behaviour of the bioactive compounds in EVOO depends on the temperature and the cooking medium used.

The Benefits of Olive Oil for Skin Health: Study on the Effect of Hydroxytyrosol, Tyrosol, and Oleocanthal on Human Fibroblasts

Fibroblasts contribute to maintaining tissue integrity and homeostasis and are a key cell population in wound healing. This cell population can be stimulated by some bioactive compounds such as extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) polyphenols. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of hydroxytyrosol (htyr), tyrosol (tyr), and oleocanthal (ole) phenolic compounds present in EVOO on the proliferation, migration, cell cycle, and antigenic profile of cultured human fibroblasts. CCD-1064Sk human fibroblast cells were treated for 24 h with each polyphenol at doses ranging 10−5 to 10−9 M. Cell proliferation was evaluated using the MTT spectrophotometric technique, migration capacity by culture insert assay, and cell cycle and antigenic profile with flow cytometry. Cell proliferation was significantly increased by treatment with all compounds. The highest increases followed treatments with htyr or tyr at doses of 10−5 or 10−6 M and with ole at 10−6 and 10−7 M, and these compounds and doses were used for assays of antigenic profile, cell cycle, and migration. During the first few hours after treatment, increased fibronectin and α-actin expressions and greater cell migration were observed, with no cell cycle changes. In conclusion, these in vitro results suggest that phenolic compounds in EVOO might contribute to wound healing through action on fibroblasts related to tissue regeneration.

Content Variations in Oleocanthalic Acid and Other Phenolic Compounds in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil during Storage.

The health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) are strictly linked to the presence of phenolic compounds, which exhibit numerous nutraceutical properties. In EVOO, the most important class of phenolic compounds is represented by secoiridoids (oleacein and oleocanthal). EVOO is constantly subjected to degradation processes, including hydrolytic and oxidative reactions that influence its phenolic composition. In particular, the hydrolytic reactions determine the transformation of oleocanthal and oleacein into the corresponding phenyl-alcohols, tyrosol, and hydroxytyrosol. Furthermore, oleocanthal by oxidation processes can be converted to oleocanthalic acid. In this study, we evaluated the phenolic composition of three EVOO samples kept at different storage conditions for 15 months, focusing on the variation of oleocanthalic acid content. Specifically, the samples were stored at 4 °C in darkness and at 25 °C with light exposure. The results of our analyses highlighted that in EVOOs exposed to light and maintained at 25 °C, the degradation was more marked than in EVOO stored in dark and at 4 °C, due to the greater influence of external factors on storage conditions. Although chemical–physical characteristics of EVOOs are slightly different depending on provenience and treatment time, the results of this study reveal that storage conditions are fundamental to controlling phenol concentration.

Activation of specific bitter taste receptors by olive oil phenolics and secoiridoids

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a critical component of the Mediterranean diet, which has been found beneficial to human health. Bitterness is often positively associated with the presence of phenolic compounds in EVOO. There are twenty-five bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) in humans, each of which responds to specific bitter tastants. The identity of phenolic compounds and the bitter taste receptors they stimulate remain unknown. In this study, we isolated 12 phenolic and secoiridoid compounds from the olive fruit and the oil extracted from it, and tested their ability to stimulate bitter taste receptor activity, using a calcium mobilization functional assay. Our results showed that seven out of twelve studied compounds activated TAS2R8, and five of them activated TAS2R1, TAS2R8, and TAS2R14. The phenolic compounds oleuropein aglycon and ligstroside aglycon were the most potent bitter tastants in olive oil. TAS2R1 and TAS2R8 were the major bitter taste receptors activated most potently by these phenolic compounds. The results obtained here could be utilized to predict and control the bitterness of olive oil based on the concentration of specific bitter phenolics produced during the milling process of olives.

Accurate determination of total biophenols in unfractionated extra-virgin olive oil with the fast blue BB assay

The phenolic compounds of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) are key contributors of nutritional and sensory quality as well as chemical stability. The reference method for their determination is the HPLC-UV, which is cost-/time-expensive.In this work, total phenolic compounds were evaluated in unfractionated EVOO adapting the Fast Blue BB (FBBB) assay, which involves the spectrophotometric (absorbance at 420 nm) determination of azo derivatives resulting from the coupling of phenolic compounds with FBBB diazonium salt in alkali pH. When tested on 26 EVOO samples, the FBBB assay and HPLC-determinations were strikingly correlated (R2 = 0.9653), differently from FBBB and Folin-Ciocalteu assays, which showed poor correlation.The assay is simple, repeatable, robust, rapid and cheap, and results might be evaluated on a printed colorimetric scale. This protocol of the FBBB assay could be routinely used to categorize EVOO according to the health claim allowed by EFSA concerning the content of phenolic compounds.

Application of deep eutectic solvents for the extraction of phenolic compounds from extra-virgin olive oil.

A HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS method has been developed and validated for the analysis of the most representative phenolic compounds in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) samples using a green extraction approach based on deep eutectic solvents (DESs) at room temperature. We examined ten DESs based on choline chloride and betaine in combination with different hydrogen bond donors comprising six alcohols, two organic acids, and one urea. Five phenolic compounds, belonging to the classes of secoiridoids and phenolic alcohols, were selected for the evaluation of extraction efficiency. A betaine-based DES with glycerol (molar ratio 1:2) was found to be the most effective for extracting phenolic compounds as compared to a conventional solvent. The optimization of the extraction method involved the study of the quantity of water to be added to the DES and evaluation of the sample-to-solvent ratio optimal condition. Thirty percent of water added to DES and sample to solvent ratio 1:1 (w/v) were selected as the best conditions. The chromatographic method was validated by studying LOD, LOQ, intraday and interday retention time precision, and linearity range. Recovery values obtained spiking seed oil sample aliquots with standard compounds at 5 and 100μg/g concentration were in the range between 75.2% and 98.7%.

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) as green extraction media for antioxidants electrochemical quantification in extra-virgin olive oils

A new electroanalytical method has been developed for the determination of polar antioxidant compounds in extra virgin olive oils. This method is based on the extraction of polar antioxidant compounds from extra-virgin olive oils by means of a deep eutectic solvent and their determination by a modified screen-printed electrode platform. The platform sensitivity was increased by modifying the working electrode with MWCNT and TiO2 nanoparticles as modifiers and Nafion as a binder. The platform showed very good sensitivity in detecting polar antioxidant compounds in extra-virgin olive oils in a fairly wide range of concentrations. The measurements were performed by using square wave voltammetry. The extraction was performed without using organic solvents, making the method environmentally friendly. The proposed method has been compared with a common spectrophotometric one, the results appeared in good agreement. The method is sufficiently easy and quick to be used for screening analyses of polar antioxidant compounds in extra-virgin olive oils on the field.

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction method of phenolic compounds in Extra-Virgin Olive Oils (EVOOs) by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS)

ABSTRACT There is an increasing trend in the consumption of extra virgin olive oil, owing to its health benefits. These health benefits are mainly correlated to health-promoting phenolic components. The aim of this study was to characterize the phenolic compositions of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) obtained from Delice and Memecik olive varieties from the south Aegean coastal area of Turkey by ultrasonic-assisted extraction method using ultra performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). EVOO samples were analyzed by a rapid and effective UPLC-MS/MS equipped with electrospray ionization. UPLC analysis results showed that luteolin was high quantity, and p-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, and caffeic acid were detected in abundant amounts.

NMR spectroscopy: a powerful tool for the analysis of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a key component of the Mediterranean diet, has aroused interest in recent years due to its health properties. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an appropriate tool for the accurate quantification of minor compounds in complex food matrices, such as polyphenols in olive oil. Flavonoids, lignans, secoiridoids and phenolic acids and alcohols in EVOO have been identified and quantified by NMR. This review provides an overview of the major developments in the structural elucidation of polyphenol compounds in EVOO. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bone Protective Effect of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds by Modulating Osteoblast Gene Expression

The phenolic compounds of extra-virgin olive oil can act at various levels to protect individuals against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and osteoporosis, among others. Polyphenols in extra-virgin olive oil can stimulate the proliferation of osteoblasts, modify their antigen profile, and promote alkaline phosphatase synthesis. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of different extra-virgin olive oil phenolic compounds on the gene expression of osteoblast-related markers. The cells of the MG63 osteoblast line were cultured for 24 h with 10−6 M of the phenolic compounds ferulic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, apigenin, or luteolin. The expression of studied markers was quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-RT-PCR). The expression by MG63 osteoblasts of growth and differentiation/maturation markers was modified after 24 h of treatment with 10−6 M of the phenolic compounds under study, most of which increased the gene expression of the transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), TGF-β receptor 1,2 and 3 (TGF-βR1, TGF-βR2, TGF-βR3), bone morphogenetic protein 2 and 7 (BMP2, BMP7), run-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Osteocalcin (OSC), Osterix (OSX), Collagen type I (Col-I) and osteoprotegerin (OPN). The extra-virgin olive oil phenolic compounds may have a beneficial effect on bone by modulating osteoblast physiology, which would support their protective effect against bone pathologies.

Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil Regarding Cultivar, Harvest Year and Crop Stage.

The health benefits of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are related to its chemical composition and the presence of bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant compounds (pigments, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and phenolic compounds) and antioxidant properties of EVOO from the same region comparing different cultivars (Hojiblanca and Arbequina), harvest year and crop stage. Antioxidant properties of oils were studied before and after a gastrointestinal digestion process, by in vitro assays (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP) and antioxidant markers in Caco-2 cells (reactive oxygen species production). The content of bioactive compounds measured was significantly affected by cultivar and harvest year (except for carotenoids) and by the crop stage (except for coenzyme Q10). Higher amounts of coenzyme Q10 were observed in Hojiblanca than in Arbequina EVOO. Total phenol content and antioxidant properties were also different depending on cultivar and harvest year and the in vitro digestion process strongly improved antioxidant marker values. Antioxidant potential in bioaccessible fractions was mainly related to the content of coenzyme Q10 and phenolic compounds in EVOO. Chemometric analysis showed that the oils were clearly classified by cultivars, harvest and crop stage, according to the chemical composition and antioxidant activity analyzed in the present study.

An olive oil phenolic is a new chemotype of mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) inhibitors.

Mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene confer an oncogenic gain-of-function activity that allows the conversion of α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) to the oncometabolite R-2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG). The accumulation of 2HG inhibits α-KG-dependent histone and DNA demethylases, thereby generating genome-wide hypermethylation phenotypes with cancer-initiating properties. Several chemotypes of mutant IDH1/2-targeted inhibitors have been reported, and some of them are under evaluation in clinical trials. However, the recognition of acquired resistance to such inhibitors within a few years of clinical use raises an urgent need to discover new mutant IDH1 antagonists. Here, we report that a naturally occurring phenolic compound in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) selectively inhibits the production of 2HG by neomorphic IDH1 mutations. In silico docking, molecular dynamics, including steered simulations, predicted the ability of the oleoside decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycone (DOA) to preferentially occupy the allosteric pocket of mutant IDH1. DOA inhibited the enzymatic activity of recombinant mutant IDH1 (R132H) protein in the low micromolar range, whereas >10-fold higher concentrations were required to inhibit the activity of wild-type (WT) IDH1. DOA suppressed 2HG overproduction in engineered human cells expressing a heterozygous IDH1-R132H mutation. DOA restored the 2HG-suppressed activity of histone demethylases as it fully reversed the hypermethylation of H3K9me3 in IDH1-mutant cells. DOA epigenetically restored the expression of PD-L1, an immunosuppressive gene silenced in IDH1 mutant cells via 2HG-driven DNA hypermethylation. DOA selectively blocked colony formation of IDH1 mutant cells while sparing WT IDH1 isogenic counterparts. In sum, the EVOO-derived oleoside DOA is a new, naturally occurring chemotype of mutant IDH1 inhibitors.

Food pyramid for subjects with chronic pain: foods and dietary constituents as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.

Emerging literature suggests that diet constituents may play a modulatory role in chronic pain (CP) through management of inflammation/oxidative stress, resulting in attenuation of pain. We performed a narrative review to evaluate the existing evidence regarding the optimum diet for the management of CP, and we built a food pyramid on this topic. The present review also describes the activities of various natural compounds contained in foods (i.e. phenolic compounds in extra-virgin olive oil (EVO)) listed on our pyramid, which have comparable effects to drug management therapy. This review included 172 eligible studies. The pyramid shows that carbohydrates with low glycaemic index should be consumed every day (three portions), together with fruits and vegetables (five portions), yogurt (125 ml), red wine (125 ml) and EVO; weekly: legumes and fish (four portions); white meat, eggs and fresh cheese (two portions); red or processed meats (once per week); sweets can be consumed occasionally. The food amounts are estimates based on nutritional and practical considerations. At the top of the pyramid there is a pennant: it means that CP subjects may need a specific customised supplementation (vitamin B12, vitamin D, n-3 fatty acids, fibre). The food pyramid proposal will serve to guide dietary intake with to the intent of alleviating pain in CP patients. Moreover, a targeted diet can also help to solve problems related to the drugs used to combat CP, i.e. constipation. However, this paper would be an early hypothetical proposal due to the limitations of the studies.

Oleocanthal-rich extra-virgin olive oil enhances donepezil effect by reducing amyloid-β load and related toxicity in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

Previous evidence suggested that extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is linked to attenuating amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology and improving cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse models. In addition, we recently reported the beneficial effect of oleocanthal, a phenolic compound in EVOO, against AD pathology. Currently, medications available to target AD pathology are limited. Donepezil is an acetylcholine esterase inhibitor approved for use for all AD stages. Donepezil has been reported to have limited Aβ-targeting mechanisms beside its acetylcholine esterase inhibition. The aim of this study was to investigate the consumption of EVOO rich with oleocanthal (hereafter EVOO) as a medical food on enhancing the effect of donepezil on attenuating Aβ load and related toxicity in 5xFAD mouse model of AD. Our results showed that EVOO consumption in combination with donepezil significantly reduced Aβ load and related pathological changes. Reduced Aβ load could be explained, at least in part, by enhancing Aβ clearance pathways including blood–brain barrier (BBB) clearance and enzymatic degradation, and shifting amyloid precursor protein processing toward the nonamyloidogenic pathway. Furthermore, EVOO combination with donepezil up-regulated synaptic proteins, enhanced BBB tightness and reduced neuroinflammation associated with Aβ pathology. In conclusion, EVOO consumption as a medical food combined with donepezil offers an effective therapeutic approach by enhancing the noncholinergic mechanisms of donepezil and by providing additional mechanisms to attenuate Aβ-related pathology in AD patients.

Towards green analysis of virgin olive oil phenolic compounds: Extraction by a natural deep eutectic solvent and direct spectrophotometric detection

The determination of phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) by means of rapid, low-cost, environment-free methods would be a desirable achievement. A natural deep eutectic solvent (DES) based on glucose and lactic acid was considered as extraction solvent for phenolic compounds in EVOO. DESs are green solvents characterized by high availability, biodegradability, safety, and low cost. The spectrophotometric characteristics of DES extracts of 65 EVOO samples were related to the total phenolic content of the oils, assessed by methanol-water extraction coupled to the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. A regression model (ncalibration=45, nvalidation=20), including the absorbance at two wavelengths (257, 324nm), was obtained, with an adjusted R2=0.762. Therefore the DES could provide a promising and viable approach for a green screening method of phenolic compounds in EVOO, by means of simple spectrophotometric measurements of extracts, even for on-field analysis (for example in olive mills).

From Olive Fruits to Olive Oil: Phenolic Compound Transfer in Six Different Olive Cultivars Grown under the Same Agronomical Conditions.

Phenolic compounds are responsible of the nutritional and sensory quality of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The composition of phenolic compounds in EVOO is related to the initial content of phenolic compounds in the olive-fruit tissues and the activity of enzymes acting on these compounds during the industrial process to produce the oil. In this work, the phenolic composition was studied in six major cultivars grown in the same orchard under the same agronomical and environmental conditions in an effort to test the effects of cultivars on phenolic composition in fruits and oils as well as on transfer between matrices. The phenolic fractions were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry. A total of 33 phenolic compounds were determined in the fruit samples and a total of 20 compounds in their corresponding oils. Qualitative and quantitative differences in phenolic composition were found among cultivars in both matrices, as well as regarding the transfer rate of phenolic compounds from fruits to oil. The results also varied according to the different phenolic groups evaluated, with secoiridoids registering the highest transfer rates from fruits to oils. Moreover, wide-ranging differences have been noticed between cultivars for the transfer rates of secoiridoids (4.36%–65.63% of total transfer rate) and for flavonoids (0.18%–0.67% of total transfer rate). ‘Picual’ was the cultivar that transferred secoiridoids to oil at the highest rate, whereas ‘Changlot Real’ was the cultivar that transferred flavonoids at the highest rates instead. Principal-component analysis confirmed a strong genetic effect on the basis of the phenolic profile both in the olive fruits and in the oils.

The phenolic compounds: a commercial argument in the economic war to come on the quality of olive oil?

The quality of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is deeply related to the amount of its minor compounds, chiefly volatile and phenolic compounds, which confer the sensory note and the remarkable nutritional and biological properties of this traditional Mediterranean fruit juice. Several agronomic aspects and technological factors affect the qualitative and quantitative composition of these compounds in EVOO. The most abundant natural antioxidants of EVOO are tocopherols, carotenoids and hydrophilic phenols. The EVOO phenols represent a group of secondary plant metabolites not often present in other oils and fats. The class of the hydrophilic phenols includes phenolic alcohols and acids, flavonoids, lignans and secoiridoids. The latter group is exclusively found in the Oleacease family plants of which the olive is the only edible fruit and it is considered as the most important fraction from a biological point of view. In particular, the secoiridoids are the most relevant phenols associated to health and biological proprieties and, at the same time, they are responsible for the bitter and pungency sensory notes of EVOO. The new approach to the EVOO extraction technologies is oriented towards the improvement of the virgin olive oil healthy and sensory properties by optimizing the oil mechanical extraction process conditions.

Monitoring the moisture reduction and status of bioactive compounds in extra-virgin olive oil over the industrial filtration process

The aim of this study was to evaluate extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) moisture and phenolic compounds content during industrial filtration, which is widely applied in the most olive-oil industries of the main producing countries of the Mediterranean as a final step prior to selling the oil. For this purpose, conventional filtration process was performed in duplicate using two lots (lot 1 and lot 2), for a total amount of 45,000kg of EVOO each. The EVOOs were from the main Spanish olive varieties (Hojiblanca, Manzanilla, Picual, and Arbequina). Cloudy EVOOs were filtered using Vitacel® L-90 and Filtracel® EFC-950 as filter aids together with filtration tank. The moisture content was determined in unfiltered and filtered EVOOs. In addition, the individual phenolic compounds were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized by HPLC–ESI-TOF/MS. The results clearly showed that filtration sharply decreased moisture. Nevertheless, the time course of phenolic compounds during filtration differed for each family. Whereas phenolic alcohols and flavones decreased during filtration, secoiridoids tended to increase, while lignans were the least affected group. Although filtration can make EVOO brilliant and can increase its shelf life by reducing its moisture content, filtration sacrifices certain phenolic compounds which could affect EVOO oxidative stability and its nutritional quality. Consequently, to maintain olive-oil quality, producers need to take into account both moisture loss as well as the antioxidant content during EVOO filtration.

Storage of extra virgin olive oil and its effect on the biological activity and concentration of oleocanthal

The olive oil phenolic, oleocanthal has recently received attention regarding its anti-inflammatory capacity and the thought that it is partially responsible for the beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) containing oleocanthal is often consumed after storage for a substantial amount of time and for oleocanthal to indeed provide health benefits, it has to be present in a substantial quantity throughout the shelf-life of EVOO. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate if natural light and/or oxygen (O2) exposure (via atmospheric air) combined with extended storage, as would occur on a common domestic basis, affected the concentration of oleocanthal in EVOO. One EVOO containing 90mg/kg oleocanthal was stored for 10months with and without exposure to light and or O2. Oleocanthal concentrations were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS) and its biological activity determined with a taste bioassay measuring the intensity of oropharyngeal irritation. A significant difference in oleocanthal concentration was observed amongst the different storage treatments (p=0.05). Oleocanthal concentration degraded to a maximum of 37% (90±13mg/kg to 56±9mg/kg) after 10months exposure to both light and O2. Limiting light and O2 over 10months resulted in a 15% decrease in oleocanthal (90±13mg/kg to 76±9mg/kg). Oleocanthal biological activity mirrored the results of oleocanthal concentration (r=0.8, p<0.05). Overall, the findings support the role of oleocanthal as a potential health promoting compound in EVOO as significant concentrations remain in EVOO after exposure to light, oxygen and over time.

Characterisation and quantification of phenolic compounds of extra-virgin olive oils according to their geographical origin by a rapid and resolutive LC–ESI-TOF MS method

The phenolic compounds present in seven samples of olive fruits were analysed by a rapid and resolutive LC–ESI-TOF MS method. All samples were collected during the normal picking period for olive oil production, in central and south Tunisia, and were obtained from the Oueslati variety cultivated in different olive growing areas.In the Tunisian samples, 22 compounds have been characterised by LC–ESI-TOF MS analysis. Results showed no qualitative differences in the phenolic fractions between virgin olive oils from different geographical region. However, significant quantitative differences were observed in a wide number of phenolic compounds. These results permit to use the phenolic fractions as an indicator of each region.