State of the Art on Functional Virgin Olive Oils Enriched with Bioactive Compounds and Their Properties

Abstract

Virgin olive oil, the main fat of the Mediterranean diet, is per se considered as a functional food—as stated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)—due to its content in healthy compounds. The daily intake of endogenous bioactive phenolics from virgin olive oil is variable due to the influence of multiple agronomic and technological factors. Thus, a good strategy to ensure an optimal intake of polyphenols through habitual diet would be to produce enriched virgin olive oil with well-known bioactive polyphenols. Different sources of natural biological active substances can be potentially used to enrich virgin olive oil (e.g., raw materials derived from the same olive tree, mainly olive leaves and pomaces, and/or other compounds from plants and vegetables, mainly herbs and spices). The development of these functional olive oils may help in prevention of chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, immune frailty, ageing disorders and degenerative diseases) and improving the quality of life for many consumers reducing health care costs. In the present review, the most relevant scientific information related to the development of enriched virgin olive oil and their positive human health effects has been collected and discussed.

Oleuropein, a component of extra virgin olive oil, lowers postprandial glycaemia in healthy subjects

“…Observational as well as intervention studies have demonstrated that Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events . Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, has low content of meat and dairy and includes extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and a small amount of wine .…”

Effectiveness of five flavored Tunisian olive oils on Anisakis larvae type 1: application of cinnamon and rosemary oil in industrial anchovy marinating process

“…Their roles in food safety and preservation have been studied widely, both in vitro and in food matrix experimental trials . Spices and plants can also be added to olive oil, influencing its characteristics and properties . Different oil aromatization processes have been employed in this context; their choice is very important because the extraction method can affect the acceptability, oxidative stability, and the quality parameters of the resulting enriched oil .…”

“…[3][4][5][6] Spices and plants can also be added to olive oil, influencing its characteristics and properties. 7,8 Different oil aromatization processes have been employed in this context; their choice is very important because the extraction method can affect the acceptability, oxidative stability, and the quality parameters of the resulting enriched oil. 9,10 The most traditional method is the infusion of natural materials containing antioxidant molecules and flavor compounds (herbs, spices, and fruits), ground, mixed with oil, and left for a defined time.…”

Shelf life of extra-virgin olive oils: First efforts toward a prediction model

“…Indeed, the shelf‐life of EVOOs is highly correlated with the natural antioxidant content. In particular, among these antioxidants, phenolic substances, α‐tocopherol, and carotene have key roles in prevention of oxidation (Figueiredo‐González, Reboredo‐Rodríguez, González‐Barreiro, Simal‐Gándara, & Valentão, ; Mora‐Ruiz et al, ; Reboredo‐Rodrıguez et al, ). As such, these have been correlated to the storage stability of EVOOs (Baldioli, Servili, Perretti, & Montedoro, ; Fregapane, Gómez‐Rico, Inarejos, & Salvador, ; Papadopoulos & Boskou, ; Rahmani & Saari Csallany, ).…”