Initial research shows that the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and potential anti-atherosclerotic properties of this phenolic compound may significantly impact human health.

Most health-conscious consumers are familiar with antioxidants, including hydroxytyrosol or flavonoids, due to decades of research on the compounds.

Due to its unique nature, research on oleacein began relatively recently. It was initially discovered and isolated in olive leaves, and its role in extra virgin olive oil was not immediately evident.

According to the researchers studying this molecule, oleacein is both one of the most abundant phenolics in virgin olive oils and one of the most chemically active.

Where does oleacein come from?

Oleacein is found almost exclusively in high-quality, fresh extra-virgin olive oil and results from transformations that occur during olive processing.

“Oleacein originates from the hydrolysis of the glycoside oleuropein,” Maria de Fátima Paiva-Martins, researcher at the University of Porto’s chemistry and biochemistry department, in Portugal, told Olive Oil Times.

Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which complex substances, such as proteins or fats, are split into simpler ones.

During the olive crushing process, oleuropein undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis, which produces aglycone, a more fat-soluble molecule. “This aglycone then transforms into oleacein,” Fátima Paiva-Martins said.

Where hydroxytyrosol and oleacein meet

One of the most interesting components of extra virgin olive oil, hydroxytyrosol, is not present in high amounts in olive oil.

Instead, it is a metabolite, a byproduct that appears in the human body after ingesting compounds, including oleacein.

“Hydroxytyrosol is highly hydrophilic, so it doesn’t remain in the olive oil. What we find in higher concentrations are its esters, like oleacein, which later hydrolyze into hydroxytyrosol after digestion,” Fátima Paiva-Martins said.

Extra virgin olive oil’s phenol esters are compounds formed when a phenol (such as hydroxytyrosol) reacts with specific acid molecules.

“Oleacein is a biphenolic compound. It contains two phenolic hydroxyl groups, which makes it an especially powerful antioxidant,” said Prokopios Magiatis, an associate professor of pharmacognosy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

“It’s an ester of hydroxytyrosol, but unlike hydroxytyrosol, which is water-soluble, oleacein is amphiphilic. It can dissolve in both water and fat,” he added.

Oleacein’s vast potential in health

Oleacein’s dual solubility may help explain its effectiveness inside the human body, as it allows broad interaction with both lipid and aqueous environments.

Because of its structure, oleacein can integrate into the body’s lipid particles, including low-density lipoproteins (LDL), often known as “bad cholesterol.” Once incorporated, it might offer a protective shield.

“Oleacein can be incorporated in LDL particles and protect them from oxidation,” Magiatis explained. “And that is crucial, because the oxidation of LDL cholesterol is one of the first steps in the formation of arterial plaques.”

Oleacein also shows promising anti-inflammatory properties. Its mechanisms are quite different from those of better-known compounds, such as oleocanthal, which is also found in extra virgin olive oil.

“Oleacein does not inhibit COX,” Magiatis remarked, referring to the cyclooxygenase enzymes that oleocanthal targets, and which are responsible for producing prostaglandins, molecules that promote inflammation and pain.

“But oleacein reduces the expression of TNF‑α and certain interleukins. These are cytokines that drive the inflammatory response,” Magiatis said.

Cytokines are small proteins that act as messengers between cells in the body. Therefore, oleacein modulates the body’s sensitivity and reaction to inflammatory molecules.

“It can also suppress enzymes involved in inflammation. So we’re seeing a complementary mode of action,” Magiatis said.

Oleacein’s health impacts may also extend to metabolism.

According to a clinical study published in 2024, 17 pre-diabetic adults consumed extra virgin olive oil rich in oleacein and oleocanthal.

The results, compared to a standard olive oil, were significant, as inflammatory cytokines dropped, antioxidant status improved, lipid oxidation decreased, and both body mass index and glucose significantly enhanced.

The researchers concluded that oleacein-rich olive oil can contribute to improved metabolic health in individuals at high risk.

Oleacein in brain health research

Given its broad implications in the body’s chemistry, research has recently focused on how oleacein impacts brain function.

Several neurology studies in cell cultures and animal models have demonstrated that oleacein might play a role in protecting the brain.

Magiatis’s lab, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Valladolid in Spain, tested oleacein in an animal model of multiple sclerosis.

“It was very clear: oleacein protected the brain. We saw anti-inflammatory activity in nerve cells and strong antioxidant effects at the site of the damage,” Magiatis explained.

That preclinical study laid the groundwork for a human clinical trial in patients with multiple sclerosis, which has now been completed and is awaiting publication.

Meanwhile, other groups are exploring oleacein’s neuroprotective potential.

A 2023 paper demonstrated that oleacein acts as a TrkB receptor agonist, thereby promoting the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a key protein involved in neuroplasticity.

The authors noted reduced depressive behavior and inflammation in mice treated with oleacein.

The journey has just begun

While oleacein is at the forefront of research on extra virgin olive oil’s most active phenols, Magiatis and Fátima Paiva-Martins said research is still in its early stages.

Much of what is known today about oleacein’s impact comes from lab and animal models, and although human studies are emerging, much remains to be explored.

“The biological effects attributed to olive oil consumption are essentially due to the intake of lipophilic derivatives of oleuropein, such as oleacein,” Fátima Paiva-Martins noted.

“The metabolites responsible for oleacein’s biological activity have not yet been fully identified or characterized,” the researcher cautioned. “We know hydroxytyrosol metabolites play a role, but the full picture remains unknown.”

“Oleacein is a highly reactive molecule and can form adducts with proteins, though the impact of this reactivity on its biological activity and the systemic effects observed after olive oil consumption is still not fully understood,” she added.

Research is ongoing, focusing on the complexity of oleacein.

“We’re in a good place,” Magiatis said. “We have made progress, and soon new research will clarify key aspects such as oleacein’s absorption, metabolism and bioavailability.”

How to select EVOO high in oleacein

Current knowledge about oleacein suggests that consumers interested in its benefits should look for high-quality olive oils with a high polyphenol count.

Freshly produced olive oils that provoke a slight cough or a peppery kick are good candidates for delivering oleacein, as such sensory irritation is often a sign of both oleacein and oleocanthal.

Besides storing extra virgin olive oil in a cool, dark place, research suggests that oleacein levels can be well preserved at wine-cellar temperatures (12 to 14 °C).

According to Magiatis, what makes the difference in the healthy impact of extra virgin olive oil is not a single significant component, but rather the whole product.

“In my personal view, olive oil is the best way to get those healthy compounds in your body,” he said. “It is natural, balanced, and it comes with dozens of other compounds that work together. Nothing can compare to that.”

A new study, published in a special issue of the journal Foods, indicates that the mechanisms by which it does so open up new avenues of treatment for this and other colorectal diseases.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the colon and rectum, leading to persistent mucosal inflammation and ulcer formation. 

Patients with ulcerative colitis typically experience symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding and unintended weight loss. 

In addition, there is a significantly higher risk of colorectal cancer associated with the disease, estimated to be two percent after ten years, eight percent after 20 years and 18 percent after 30 years.

Current treatments, such as aminosalicylates, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, are of limited value and often come with serious side effects, including hypertension, bone loss and organ toxicity. 

Given this and the debilitating nature of the condition, there is widespread recognition of the need for alternative treatment candidates.

A phenolic compound with natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, oleuropein extracted from extra virgin olive oil, has previously been shown to be effective at alleviating ulcerative colitis. However, little of the literature has focused on the exact mechanisms by which it does so.

Previous studies have suggested that oleuropein may alleviate symptoms of ulcerative colitis by reducing oxidative stress and modulating immune responses. 

The researchers focused on the interactions between oleuropein and gut microbiota, hypothesizing that it could protect the colon by modulating microbial populations and their metabolic products.

Using mouse models, orally administered oleuropein was shown to significantly improve clinical symptoms, such as weight loss and colon shortening, indicating physical tissue repair. 

At the cellular and molecular levels, oxidative stress-related abnormalities, such as elevated myeloperoxidase activity, were reversed, suggesting the mitigation of oxidative damage.

Meanwhile, pro-inflammatory cytokines were suppressed through the NF-κB signaling pathway, and tight junction protein levels were increased.

To confirm the role of gut microbiota, the microbiota were transferred from treated to untreated mice. Without any additional intervention, ulcerative colitis severity was reduced, indicating that microbial changes induced by oleuropein play an important role in the compound’s therapeutic effects. 

These findings were further enforced by 16S rRNA sequencing, which revealed increased levels of Lactobacillus and decreased levels of Proteobacteria, a group strongly associated with inflammatory gut responses and numerous diseases.

In addition to microbial composition, the researchers investigated the impact of oleuropein on bile production. 

Ulcerative colitis patients exhibit elevated levels of primary bile acids, produced by the liver, and reduced levels of secondary bile acids, which are created through bacterial interaction within the colon. 

Such imbalances inhibit the growth of beneficial bacteria and promote pathogen growth. Analysis showed that oleuropein treatment significantly restored levels of bile acid, including key secondary bile acids such as hyodeoxycholic acid.

Because the hyodeoxycholic acid levels differed substantially between the treated and untreated groups, their independent effects were studied. 

Hyodeoxycholic acid administration reproduced many of the protective effects of oleuropein, including improved weight maintenance, reduced colon shortening and reduced tissue inflammation. Like oleuropein, hyodeoxycholic acid also suppressed NF-κB signaling and restored tight junction protein expression.

These findings suggest that oleuropein also acts in part by boosting hyodeoxycholic acid levels, which in turn activate FXR, a receptor known to play a key regulatory role in chronic intestinal inflammation, and suppress pro-inflammatory signaling.

The researchers conclude that oleuropein not only relieves symptoms but also addresses underlying pathogenic processes. These include inflammation, oxidative stress, barrier dysfunction and microbial imbalance. 

Its apparent therapeutic effects on a complex regulatory network of multiple pathways associated with numerous diseases, including colorectal cancer, make it a strong candidate for new alternative or complementary treatments and further research.

Named after German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer, Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to be the cause of 60 to 80 percent of cases of dementia worldwide and is inevitably fatal.

Marked by cognitive decline and memory loss, the disease affects ten percent of people over the age of 65 and 40 percent over the age of 80.

While deaths from diseases such as stroke and heart disease have been decreasing since 2001, age-standardized dementia mortality rates have risen over the same period.

There are currently more than 55 million Alzheimer’s cases worldwide, and this figure is expected to triple by 2050 as both population and life expectancy increase.

Although numerous experimental treatments for the disease are in development, most research is focused on prevention.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that consuming extra virgin olive oil is linked to improved cognitive function and reduced risk of dementia.

In a recently published cohort study of 92,383 United States adults observed over 28 years, consuming more than seven grams of olive oil per day was associated with a 28 percent lower risk of dementia-related death than never or rarely consuming olive oil.

Unlike those of many previous studies, these results were found to be irrespective of general diet quality.

Polyphenols disrupt plaque accumulation and mitigate inflammation

Polyphenols are a group of natural compounds found in plants, including olives, known for their antioxidant properties.

They have various health benefits, including potential protection against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

Extra virgin olive oil is renowned for its rich polyphenol content, which provides most of its health benefits and contributes to its unique flavor and aroma.

Extra virgin olive oil contains 25 polyphenols, including oleocanthal, oleacein, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol.

Of these, oleocanthal and oleuropein are the most strongly associated with the prevention and mitigation of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Current research suggests that there are multiple ways in which this occurs.

Oleuropein aglycone (an oleuropein compound) can induce autophagy, a natural process that eliminates clumps of proteins and damaged organelles (cell components) and stops them from accumulating. Two proteins in particular are associated with this type of accumulation in forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s.

Amyloid-beta precursor protein is implicated in various biological functions, from the formation and repair of synapses to hormone regulation. It also forms amyloid-beta, which is toxic to neurons.

Amyloid-beta readily accumulates, forming small clusters called oligomers and eventually accumulating into bulky amyloid plaques.

These accumulations are dangerous for several reasons. They can trigger inflammation through an immune response and may also induce the production of abnormal tau protein.

Tau protein is essential to maintaining the correct structure of neurons. However, when tau protein molecules become damaged, they can detach and form clusters known as neurofibrillary tangles. When this happens, neuron death follows, disrupting the transmission of messages within the brain.

Autophagy deficiency has been discovered in Alzheimer’s patients, as have elevated levels of amyloid oligomers and plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.

Therefore, oleuropein’s ability to induce this process is potentially an important mechanism by which extra virgin olive oil can protect against neurodegeneration.

Amyloid plaque is also present in the brains of older adults who do not develop Alzheimer’s, implying that there is more than one factor at play.

Neuroinflammation, the activation of glial cells, such as microglia and astrocytes, which hold neurons in place and aid their normal function, is a strong candidate.

The activation of these cells causes the production of inflammatory factors such as cytokines and chemokines, which have been observed surrounding plaques and impaired neurons in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Phenolic compounds found in extra virgin olive oil, such as hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, have demonstrated the ability to impede the translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) into the nucleus, leading to diminished production of pro-inflammatory agents and thus curbing neuroinflammation driven by microglia.

Moreover, these compounds have been observed to enhance the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines while suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, presenting a multifaceted approach to combating neuroinflammation.

MUFAs linked with better brain health via the cardiovascular system

In addition to its high polyphenol content, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).

The famous Seven Countries Study discovered that different fats could have very different effects on health. The study revealed that people in Greece and other parts of the Mediterranean enjoyed a low rate of heart disease despite a high-fat diet.

The researchers concluded that this was because the primary fats in their diet were not the saturated animal fats common in countries with higher rates of heart disease but the monounsaturated fats of olive oil.

Strong evidence exists linking cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s, so reducing the former is one of many strategies seen as essential to prevention.

The replacement of saturated fats with monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid has a proven track record in this area. Oleic acid is the major component of olive oil, constituting 70 to 80 percent.

In addition to helping to regulate immune function, research has shown that when it is used to replace dietary saturated fat, monounsaturated fat reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease by decreasing levels of blood lipids such as cholesterol.

It has also been demonstrated that increasing and decreasing the latter in human blood serum improves the HDL (high‐density lipoprotein) to LDL (low‐density lipoprotein) ratio.

One significant way in which cardiovascular disease may contribute to the development of dementia is through the deterioration of the blood-brain barrier. This barrier refers to the specialized properties of the central nervous system’s vascular system that control the exchange of ions, molecules and cells between the blood and the brain.

When it becomes dysfunctional, the blood-brain barrier can allow toxic molecules into the brain and impair the elimination of toxic substances such as amyloid-beta and abnormal tau proteins.

This can lead to increased neuroinflammation and oxidative damage, which has also been linked to Alzheimer’s.

Research has found that the regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil reduces the permeability of the blood-brain barrier in the hippocampi and surrounding area, thus helping to restore normal function.

EVOO and the Mediterranean diet

Multiple studies have concluded that adherence to the Mediterranean diet corresponds to a reduced risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

A 2023 cohort study from the United Kingdom Biobank found that the higher an individual’s adherence, the lower their risk of developing dementia. Strikingly, this was found to be true regardless of genetic predisposition.

A separate 2023 U.S. study found that levels of five micronutrients common in the Mediterranean diet were significantly lower in the brains of those who had died with Alzheimer’s disease than those who had died without it.

The study analyzed the brains of 31 donors whose average age at death was 75 and found that the brains of those with the disease had around half the levels of lycopene, retinol, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E.

Although the body only needs these substances in small amounts, they are crucial to maintaining many bodily systems, such as the immune system, the eyes and the skin.

Mediterranean countries are historically among the healthiest countries in the world, recording relatively low rates of cardiovascular diseases and cancer, as well as longer life expectancy.

On the purely dietary front, the Mediterranean diet is based on the daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains and some dairy, with extra virgin olive oil serving as the primary source of fat.

The Spain-based Mediterranean Diet Foundation, one of the most influential organizations dedicated to researching and promoting the Mediterranean diet, defines the diet as a way of life. In the foundation’s view, lifestyle and values form a vital part that can not be separated from the whole.

This is reflected in its Mediterranean diet pyramid. Unlike more familiar food pyramids, the base is built from a combination of exercise, rest, socializing, and cooking on the physical front and a commitment to sustainable, local, seasonal and eco-friendly food choices on the value front.

While more research is needed to determine how the Mediterranean diet helps the body avoid and combat so many diseases, its benefits to human health are already firmly established.

CVDs encompass a range of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. The most prevalent among these are coronary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease.

The New York State Department of Health recently reported that about 695,000 Americans die from heart disease annually, representing one in five deaths in the country. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that cardiovascular disease accounts for 32 percent of all deaths.

While cardiovascular diseases are triggered by various factors, including genetics, pollution and lifestyle, a growing body of research links daily consumption of extra virgin olive oil, the highest-quality olive oil category, to significantly reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

The evidence behind olive oil’s decisive impact

A large-scale trial conducted on thousands of individuals in Spain during the 2010s demonstrated that adherence to the Mediterranean diet and daily consumption of olive oil significantly reduce cardiovascular events in at-risk patients compared to a generic low-fat diet.

The PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, laid the foundations for further research worldwide.

The Seven Countries Study, conducted since the 1950s across the U.S., Finland, Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia and Japan, also confirmed the critical role of olive oil and the Mediterranean diet in reducing cardiovascular diseases.

This extensive epidemiological study involved 12,000 middle-aged men, revealing that daily consumption of unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet significantly lower heart disease risks.

These studies confirmed the significant impact of dietary behavior on cholesterol levels and other conditions related to the development of cardiovascular diseases.

As a result of these studies, hundreds of scientific publications have explored the unique role of olive oil in human health in recent decades.

Olive oil’s beneficial effects are attributed mainly to its high content of monounsaturated fats. The polyphenols found in the highest grade of olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, further enhance these health benefits.

The role of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs)

Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), is a critical component of olive oil and is credited with many of the significant health benefits associated with its consumption.

“It is important to note that extra virgin olive oil consists of 60 to 83 percent MUFAs,” said Bruno Tuttolomondo, a full professor of internal medicine at the University of Palermo and director of the internal medicine with stroke care unit at Policlinico Hospital in Palermo.

“The remaining composition includes small percentages of saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid and stearic acid,” he added. “Along with polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats are considered ‘good fats.’”

Tuttolomondo said research indicates that a high percentage of MUFAs play a crucial role in preventing cardiovascular diseases.

“This is because MUFAs influence cholesterol and LDL levels, reduce LDL oxidation and affect the composition of atherosclerotic plaques, thereby exerting a cardioprotective role,” he said.

LDL stands for a low-density combination of fat and protein. It is a type of cholesterol that can accumulate in the bloodstream and form plaques in the arteries, leading to atherosclerosis.

“MUFAs are not the only important components of extra virgin olive oil, but they are the most abundant,” Tuttolomondo said. “This alone qualifies extra virgin olive oil as one of the ‘good fats.’”

Polyphenols are critical to CVD risk reduction

Polyphenols are a diverse group of hundreds of substances found in many foods.

Extra virgin olive oil contains dozens of these polyphenols, which are rare and especially valuable due to their high bioavailability.

This means that, once consumed, they reach areas of the body where they can exert their effects, including potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

“Polyphenols certainly play a role in cardiovascular health and are the subject of significant research due to their cardioprotective actions,” Tuttolomondo said.

One of the most researched polyphenols for cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases is oleuropein.

“Many researchers, including [Francesco] Violi’s team at La Sapienza University in Rome, are investigating oleuropein,” Tuttolomondo said. “They discovered that oleuropein helps stabilize lipid plaques and reduce LDL oxidation.”

“They also found that it modulates the impact of diabetes on vascular and cardiovascular health,” he added.

EVOO might enhance diabetes prevention

According to the World Health Organization, 422 million people have diabetes globally. Research has shown that extra virgin olive oil and adherence to the Mediterranean diet can significantly lower the risk of developing the disease.

Diabetes is linked to cardiovascular diseases because it can lead to excessive sugar in the blood, which can damage the blood vessels that supply the heart. This damage can reduce the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the heart, significantly increasing the risk of heart disease.

“For some time, the impact of extra virgin olive oil on diabetes was evaluated indirectly,” Tuttolomondo said. “In numerous studies, including those conducted by my research group, we analyzed adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which considers extra virgin olive oil the primary fat. It is well known that adherence to the Mediterranean diet results in a lower incidence of diabetes.”

Further research has built on these findings. “We now know that extra virgin olive oil and phenols such as oleuropein have effects similar to some compounds used in diabetes therapies, as they increase insulin sensitivity,” Tuttolomondo said.

“We now have strong evidence of the preventive role and regulation of glycemic levels by daily and regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil, especially when consumed for many years,” he added.

“While you cannot expect to lower blood sugar by simply eating a salad with extra virgin olive oil, daily, familial and traditional consumption of extra virgin olive oil has proven effective in reducing the prevalence of diabetes,” he noted.

Olive oil is the healthier, tastier fat choice

“One of the unique qualities of extra virgin olive oil is its flavor. In addition to its wide-ranging health benefits, it also offers an exquisite taste,” Tuttolomondo said. “No other cooking fat combines favorable organoleptic properties with beneficial nutrients like extra virgin olive oil. It is a small miracle, combining health and taste.”

However, he emphasized that other fats can also benefit human health.

“Consider polyunsaturated fats like Omega‑3 and Omega‑6, which have been shown to play a role in cardiovascular disease prevention. Still, none of them compare to extra virgin olive oil in daily use,” Tuttolomondo said. “Extra virgin olive oil is the centerpiece of every lunch and dinner for those who follow the Mediterranean diet.”

“When we talk about Omega‑3 and Omega‑6, we think of fats from blue fish or almond extracts. While some people eat five almonds for lunch, it’s impractical to base a diet on almonds,” he added.

Healthy fats like pumpkin seed or flaxseed oil have beneficial profiles but do not offer the same organoleptic properties as extra virgin olive oil.

“They are beneficial fats, but consider flaxseed oil; it has no flavor, so it cannot motivate people through taste,” Tuttolomondo said. “In my opinion, we need to attract people to prevention by appealing to their sense of taste.”

Meanwhile, avocado oil has been the subject of several studies. “From a palatability standpoint, it is virtually flavorless,” Tuttolomondo said. “It contains a significant amount of polyunsaturated fats, but I don’t think there are enough studies on its polyphenolic content.”

How much extra virgin olive oil should be consumed?

Extra virgin olive oil should be consumed daily to reap its health benefits.

However, not all extra virgin olive oils are the same. While oleuropein and other polyphenols can significantly benefit human health, the amount and type of phenols vary among extra virgin olive oils.

“Polyphenol content depends on factors including cultivar, cultivation area, processing methods, and external temperature,” Tuttolomondo said. “There is a threshold of polyphenol content that characterizes a high-quality extra virgin olive oil.”

“Polyphenols are one of the criteria for evaluating extra virgin olive oil,” he added. To have a significant effect, it should contain no less than 250 to 350 milligrams per kilogram.”

“It has been hypothesized that higher levels of polyphenols correspond to greater cardioprotective effects,” Tuttolomondo continued. “However, we should always remember the key role played by MUFAs, which are the foundation of all extra virgin olive oils.”

While excessive olive oil consumption can lead to excessive calorie intake, researchers have worked to define recommended daily doses of extra virgin olive oil.

“Many studies indicate that 20 grams of extra virgin olive oil can optimize the benefits of the Mediterranean diet,” Tuttolomondo said. “This equates to about one to one and a half tablespoons.”

“However, intervention studies have evaluated up to four tablespoons per day for cardiovascular effects,” he added. “Considering weight regulation and overall caloric intake, I would say that the more extra virgin olive oil we consume, the better.”

• World Health Organization
• New York State Department of Health

The review emphasizes the role of the Mediterranean diet and olive oil, which contain both polyphenols, underscoring their antioxidant properties, which could bolster cellular defenses and mitigate oxidative damage in neuroblastoma cells.

Additionally, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol are shown to induce apoptosis (cell death), reduce side effects from conventional treatments and counteract tumor dormancy as a resistance mechanism, suggesting promising avenues for future research, especially in vivo studies.

Neuroblastoma is a challenging pediatric cancer that primarily affects children aged 17 to 18 months. It arises from neural crest cells of the sympathetic nervous system and commonly originates in the adrenal glands, neck, chest or spinal cord.

Despite advances in treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, neuroblastoma remains a formidable clinical entity due to its propensity for recurrence and the development of drug resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes for patients.

The review underscored the potential of natural compounds derived from the Mediterranean diet in addressing the therapeutic challenges of neuroblastoma. Their accessibility and reduced cytotoxicity make them attractive candidates for integration with conventional treatments.

For example, garlic-derived compounds and antioxidants from red wine have shown anticancer effects in various cancer types, including neuroblastoma. Leveraging these natural substances to enhance treatment efficacy and mitigate side effects holds promise, particularly in pediatric oncology.

The Mediterranean diet is renowned for its health benefits and protective effects against various diseases, including cancer.

Extra virgin olive oil, the primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet, contains bioactive phenolic compounds, including oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, which have garnered scientific interest for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

Oleuropein, the principal phenolic compound found in olive oil, demonstrates diverse therapeutic potentials, including cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Its ability to interact with critical molecular pathways in disease progression makes it an attractive candidate for cancer therapy.

Upon hydrolysis, oleuropein yields hydroxytyrosol, which shares similar beneficial properties and has been shown to exert potent anticancer effects in various tumor types.

One of cancer cells’ hallmark features is their dysregulated redox balance, which leads to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress.

With their antioxidant properties, Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol can potentially mitigate oxidative damage and bolster cellular antioxidant defenses in neuroblastoma cells.

By scavenging free radicals and modulating oxidative stress pathways, these phenolic compounds may inhibit tumor growth, induce apoptosis and sensitize tumor cells to conventional treatments.

In addition to their antioxidant effects, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol have been shown to modulate various signaling pathways involved in cancer progression.

They can inhibit nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression and histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity, thereby suppressing inflammatory responses, angiogenesis and tumorigenesis.

Tumor angiogenesis involves the development of blood vessels into the cancerous mass to supply nutrients and oxygen, supporting tumor growth and metastasis.

Angiogenesis inhibitors are considered a means of complementing other therapies and preventing malignant tumor development. Anti-angiogenic therapy, while not a cure, is effective in destroying tumors because vascular supply is essential for their growth.

The review highlighted the importance of exploring the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol to optimize their therapeutic efficacy.

Despite their low bioavailability, these compounds can reach therapeutic concentrations in target tissues, particularly in tumors, due to their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and interact with cellular targets.

The researchers indicated that strategies to enhance the delivery and bioavailability of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, such as nanoformulations and targeted drug delivery systems, warrant further investigation to maximize their clinical utility in neuroblastoma treatment.

Moreover, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol exhibit selective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells while sparing normal cells, making them promising candidates for targeted cancer therapy.

Preclinical studies have demonstrated promising results, including inhibition of tumor growth, induction of apoptosis and sensitization of tumor cells to chemotherapy.

However, the researchers added that translating these findings into clinical practice requires rigorous evaluation in well-designed clinical trials to establish safety, efficacy and optimal dosing regimens.

The authors note that further research is needed to fully elucidate their mechanisms of action, optimize their pharmacokinetics and evaluate their clinical efficacy in neuroblastoma patients.

By harnessing the therapeutic potential of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, they hope to pave the way for more effective and less toxic treatments for neuroblastoma and other pediatric cancers, ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for affected patients and their families.

The olive tree produces the compound as a defensive mechanism, its bitterness acting as a natural deterrent to pests. That same bitterness translates to a marker of quality in oil.

Oleuropein, identified as the first secoiridoid in olive oil by Panizzi et al. in 1958, is a significant component of olive polyphenols. Its presence in olives and oil varies depending on the olive variety, milling techniques and technology and storage conditions. 

Oleuropein serves as a quality marker throughout production. The bitter, pungent taste of extra virgin olive oil primarily arises from its main phenolic compounds, including oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein. 

Extensive research has explored the beneficial effects of oleuropein on ailments including cancer, hypertension, heart issues and various viral and bacterial diseases.

How oleuropein impacts sensory attributes

Research conducted by Andrewes and colleagues in 2003 isolated and evaluated individual phenolic compounds present in olive oil. 

They found that the compound p‑HPEA-EDA, a secoiridoid derivative of oleuropein, elicited a strong burning pungent sensation at the back of the throat, contributing significantly to the oil’s pungent attribute. In contrast, another compound, 3,4‑DHPEA-EDA, produced only a slight burning or numbing sensation, predominantly perceived on the tongue.

Further analysis using the calcium mobilization functional assay revealed that several phenolic compounds activate bitter taste receptors TAS2R1, TAS2R8 and TAS2R14. 

Ligstroside aglycon and oleuropein aglycon were identified as the most potent bitter tastants in olive oil. TAS2R8 and TAS2R1 were found to be the primary bitter taste receptors responding to phenolic compounds, with oleuropein activating TAS2R8 exclusively, albeit with lower potency compared to the algycons.

While oleuropein has low potency towards the receptor TAS2R8, research suggests that the intensely bitter sensation experienced when chewing raw olives is primarily due to the spontaneous conversion of oleuropein into aglycon forms. 

Oleuropein and oleuropein glucosidase are typically found in separate cellular compartments and only come into contact when olive fruit cells are damaged, such as during chewing or crushing for oil production.

Oleuropein’s role in olive oil health benefits

Oleuropein and its derivative, hydroxytyrosol, possess potent antioxidant properties, contributing to olive oil’s reputation for combating inflammation and associated diseases. 

Notably, oleuropein has demonstrated a capacity to significantly reduce blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic, in animal models, aligning with olive leaf’s traditional use in treating hypertension. 

Recent studies reveal that oleuropein’s mechanism in reducing blood pressure involves protecting the hypothalamus from oxidative stress through Nrf2-mediated signaling, offering potential as a preventive and therapeutic approach for hypertension.

Beyond blood pressure regulation, oleuropein exhibits various health-promoting functions, including cardioprotection, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-angiogenic and neuroprotective effects. 

Oleuropein and Alzheimer’s disease

Numerous in vitro investigations have explored the antioxidant and neuroprotective attributes of extracts from extra virgin olive oil, uncovering their therapeutic potential in combating Alzheimer’s disease. 

When administered before exposure, these extracts have been shown to upregulate key antioxidant enzymes in neuroblastoma cells, mitigating oxidative damage induced by free radicals.

Phenolic compounds found in extra virgin olive oil, such as hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, have demonstrated the ability to impede the translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) into the nucleus, leading to diminished production of pro-inflammatory agents and thus curbing neuroinflammation driven by microglia. 

Moreover, these compounds have been observed to enhance the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines while suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, presenting a multifaceted approach to combating neuroinflammation.

In experiments using neuroblastoma cells, a combination treatment involving oleuropein aglycone and hydroxytyrosol has exhibited the activation of autophagic flux, reduction in free radical production, prevention of mitochondrial dysregulation and inhibition of cellular damage inflicted by amyloid-beta plaques. 

Furthermore, interventions involving oleuropein supplementation have shown promise in enhancing cognitive functions, memory and behavioral disorders in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease. 

Oleuropein and osteoporosis

Age-related bone density loss is associated with osteoblast insufficiency during the body’s continuous bone remodeling. 

Studies suggest that the formation of osteoblasts in bone marrow is closely associated with adipogenesis, the formation of adipocytes (fat cells) from stem cells and that age-related changes in this relationship could be responsible for the increasing adiposity of bone marrow associated with osteoporosis.

Puel et al. examined oleuropein’s effects on ovariectomized rats with and without inflammation, finding positive impacts on bone loss only in inflamed rats. 

Oleuropein enhances osteoblast formation while reducing adipocyte generation, suggesting preventive effects against osteoporosis and age-related bone loss. 

Regarding bone resorption, oleuropein at varying concentrations decreased the formation of osteoclast-like cells in spleen cell cultures. 

In vitro studies by García Martínez et al. also demonstrated that phenolic extracts from Sicilian virgin olive oil increased osteoblast cell numbers, potentially aiding bone growth.

Phenolic compounds have also been shown to modulate gene expression related to bone growth and differentiation in MG-63 osteosarcoma cells. These phenolic components benefit bone physiology, potentially protecting against bone diseases by influencing osteoblast function.

Oleuropein and cancer

Over the years, the consumption of oleuropein has been associated with aiding in cancer treatment. 

This was initially attributed to its antioxidant properties, but it is now recognized that oleuropein’s impact on cancer extends beyond its antioxidant role. It functions as both an anti-proliferative and apoptotic promoter in various cancer cells, demonstrating many anticancer properties currently under investigation.

Oleuropein shows multifaceted effects in cancer. It induces apoptosis (cell death) in cervical cancer cells via JNK activation and activates ERK1/2 through GPER in breast cancer, inhibiting cell growth.

Moreover, it modulates apoptosis regulators like BAX, Bcl2 and p53, enhancing apoptotic pathways and reducing cancer cell survival.

A wealth of experimental data supports HER2-induced signaling as a key player in cancer progression. HER2 overexpression, particularly in breast cancer, activates pathways like PI3K/Akt and MAPK, driving tumor growth. 

While drugs like trastuzumab target HER2, resistance often develops. Oleuropein aglycone synergizes with trastuzumab in breast cancer cells, inhibiting HER2 proteolytic processing and downregulating its expression, offering a promising therapeutic approach.

Combining oleuropein with AKT inhibitors enhances apoptosis, particularly in cells overexpressing AKT. Oleuropein also impacts ROS levels, reducing them in thyroid cancer cells while increasing them in prostate cancer cells, suggesting cell-specific effects. Additionally, it downregulates NF-κB and cyclin D1, inhibiting oncogenic pathways in breast cancer.

Researchers believe that future studies should explore oleuropein’s in vivo effects on redox status across various cancer stages and microenvironments. Understanding these dynamics could lead to the development of targeted anticancer therapies.

• Scientia Pharmaceutica
• Molecules
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences

The study, published as a pre-print on BioRxiv, meaning it has not been peer-reviewed yet, found that aged mice fed dietary olive leaf extract with oleuropein demonstrated improved calcium uptake. This enhanced mitochondrial function, allowing the mice to run longer and increasing their muscle mass.

The study would be the first to show that mitochondria functioning can be targeted directly with molecules naturally found in olives and olive leaves. Mitochondria are cell organelles that use aerobic respiration to generate chemical energy used throughout the cell.

According to previous research, calcium uptake in mitochondria declines during aging. This likely contributes to sarcopenia, a type of muscle loss that naturally occurs in the aging process.

The researchers said the study serves as a good first step in determining the therapeutic value of oleuropein for sarcopenia and other types of muscle atrophy.

“The mineral calcium is involved in all skeletal muscle contraction, and the authors state that they are the first to discover that a decrease in calcium uptake by the mitochondria contributes to the mitochondrial decline associated with aging,” Mary M. Flynn, an associate professor of medicine and founder of the Olive Oil Health Initiative of the Miriam Hospital at Brown University, told Olive Oil Times.

“They screened several polyphenols and found that oleuropein could bind at the site where the calcium would enter the mitochondria, which then allows the calcium to enter the cell, thus avoiding the mitochondrial decline, and this was shown to improve and allow mitochondrial activity (or use of oxygen to produce energy) to happen,” she added.

According to Simon Poole, a physician, author and nutrition instructor for the Olive Oil Times Sommelier Certification Program, the research could add to the compendium of known olive oil health benefits. However, he warned that results from studies in mice cannot be automatically translated to humans.

“This study adds to the expanding database of research which shows potential beneficial effects of olive tree polyphenols such as oleuropein on cellular structures including mitochondria, and by implication on cell aging,” he said.

“It is important to remain cautious when considering results from animal studies and also where extracts of naturally occurring compounds are used,” Poole added. “It is often difficult to replicate study results when using supplements in humans, especially when researchers are looking for measurable health outcomes.”

Based on the dosages given to the mice by researchers, Flynn said the study could be recreated in humans.

“Research like this has to start in animals, and how that will then translate to humans is not known,“ Flynn said. “If the same effect (i.e., halting the natural decline in mitochondrial activity with aging) could be shown in humans, that would have very interesting implications.”

“The study was in mice, and they used a dose of 40 percent oleuropein at 50 milligrams per kilogram and found benefit,” she added. “Using the same dose in a human experiment, per 45.4 kilograms (100 lbs), that would be 2,270 milligrams or 2 grams of oleuropein per 100 lbs,” she said. “That does not sound like a lot, so it may be doable.”

Poole concluded that regardless of the next steps in the research, the study demonstrated that polyphenols have more profound health impacts than reducing inflammation and oxidations.

“This study does, however, represent more intriguing evidence to support the notion that polyphenol compounds produced by the olive tree may have biological effects not only on pathways of inflammation and oxidation but also on the structures that power much of the biochemistry of cells,” he said.

• NMN

While numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of olive oil-rich diets during pregnancy, there have been no human studies on the role of olive phenols or polyphenols in embryo implantation and development.

A new study published in a special issue of the journal Antioxidants has sought to address this issue by examining the impact of oleuropein on oxidative stress on human trophoblasts: cells formed during the first stage of pregnancy that provide nutrients to the embryo.

In vitro experiments performed by the research team found that oleuropein significantly reduced oxidative damage and restored antioxidant functioning in trophoblasts subjected to hydrogen peroxide, which was used to model oxidative stress.

Not only did it improve antioxidant status and prevent protein and lipid damage, but oleuropein also reduced iNOS levels, excessive production of which has been linked to improper embryo transport and ectopic pregnancy.

Reactive oxygen species, varieties of free radicals, play a vital role in normal pregnancy. Still, an excess is known to cause oxidative stress, leading to serious complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or even fetal loss.

The potential for antioxidants to prevent and treat such disorders is receiving increasing attention. However, very few antioxidant components have so far shown significant effects on pregnancy disorders.

Most common antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, have not only been found to be ineffective in reducing the risk of complications but have even been associated with an increase in stillbirths.

The researchers noted that existing studies of olive oil supplementation in the pre-conception period and during pregnancy have demonstrated that a supplementation period could improve embryo quality parameters in in vitro human embryo development.

They also emphasized that no indications of adverse effects in the trophoblast cells were observed from the introduction of oleuropein, thus paving the way for further research.

• Antioxidants
• Journal of Clinical Medicine

Many would point to extra virgin olive oil as a prominent source of monounsaturated fats, which is associated with weight loss and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, among other benefits.

However, Nasir Malik, a plant physiologist at the United States Department of Agriculture’s research service, said olive oil’s health benefits are almost entirely derived from a class of organic chemicals known as phenolic compounds – or polyphenols.

“The health benefits of olive oil are 99 percent related to the presence of the phenolic compounds, not the oil itself,” he told the Washington Post in 2012.

What are polyphenols?

Polyphenol is an umbrella term for a large family of naturally occurring plant compounds comprising multiple phenol units acting as antioxidants.

There are 8,000 types of polyphenols and more than 100 different types of foods with at least one milligram of polyphenols per 100 grams or milliliters of food or beverage. These vary widely from fruits and vegetables to whole grains and seeds.

According to Phenol-Explorer, a database, 25 polyphenols are found in extra virgin olive oil. Of these 25, the most significant are tyrosols – including oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal.

Polyphenols are found most abundantly in extra virgin olive oil, and some polyphenols are present in virgin olive oil.

Refined olive oil only has trace amounts of the polyphenols, which are removed during the refining process and added back in when the refined oil is blended with small quantities of virgin or extra virgin olive oil before it is bottled sold.

Polyphenols lower heart disease risk

Polyphenols have been linked in hundreds of studies to various health benefits.

Chief among these health benefits is lowering the risk of heart disease, mainly due to their antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help reduce chronic inflammation, the primary risk factor for heart disease.

Two recent studies – one published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences and the other in the Journal of Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity – linked polyphenol-enriched diets to lower blood pressure and LDL (low-density lipid) cholesterol, colloquially known as ‘bad cholesterol,’ and increased levels of HDL (high-density lipid) cholesterol, or ‘good’ cholesterol.

The consumption of polyphenols has also been associated with lowering the risk of blood clots by preventing excess platelet aggregation.

Polyphenols decrease diabetes risk

Along with providing benefits for heart health, polyphenols have also been shown to lower blood sugar levels, which decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

A 2017 study published in the British Journal of Medicine found that participants eating large amounts of polyphenol-rich foods had a 57-percent lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes over two to four years than people who consumed very low amounts of polyphenols.

One reason may be that polyphenols help stimulate insulin secretion, which helps move sugar from the bloodstream and deposit it in the cells. This keeps blood sugar levels stable.

Polyphenol-rich diets are also linked to lower fasting blood sugar levels and higher glucose tolerance, which are essential for reducing the risk of contracting type 2 diabetes.

Polyphenols may help cancer and dementia patients

Though researchers are the first to admit that many more studies need to be done on the subject, polyphenols have also been linked to a lower risk of prostate and breast cancer.

Some studies conducted on the subject suggest that polyphenols block the growth and development of these types of cancer cells.

As a result, a separate study suggested oleocanthal-based treatments may be effective as part of targeted therapy for some types of breast cancer patients.

The researchers behind this study also found that oleocanthal regulates abnormalities in a receptor responsible for the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

In Alzheimer’s patients, the receptor becomes over-stimulated and promotes inflammation. Therefore, researchers hypothesize that oleocanthal may regulate the receptor and decrease inflammation.

Polyphenols restore gut bacteria

Along with helping prevent certain chronic diseases, some scientific studies also show that high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which helps with digestion.

One study demonstrated that adherents to the Mediterranean diet, which includes polyphenols from several of its components besides olive oil, had a more diverse gut bacteria associated with better weight management.

Polyphenols also add plenty of flavor to EVOO

Along with endowing extra virgin olive oil with its many health benefits, polyphenols also contribute to the flavor profiles of the oil.

The presence of polyphenols contributes to astringency, bitterness and pungency. Depending on the types of olives and when they are harvested will impact which of these attributes can be sensed in an EVOO.

Astringency is the puckering sensation created by tannins, a type of polyphenol. Astringency is associated with early harvested and robust extra virgin olive oils. Astringency is mostly noticed when tasting the oil on its own and is less apparent when cooking with an EVOO.

On the other hand, bitterness – due to oleuropein – is one of the less sought-after flavors in most foods but is an excellent indicator that an extra virgin olive oil has been made with fresh olives. As with certain types of beer, chocolate and coffee, bitterness is an acquired taste, the appreciation of which comes over time.

Meanwhile, pungency is the stinging sensation in the throat, mostly associated with oleocanthal. Occasionally the sensation, similar to that of chili peppers, is strong enough to force a cough.

Tips for selecting high-polyphenol EVOO

While few brands list the polyphenol contents of their EVOOs directly on the label, there are a few tricks to finding high-polyphenol EVOO at any store or market.

The first is to check the label to see if the olives were harvested early. Polyphenols accumulate in the olives earlier than the oil and steadily decrease as the fruit matures. Therefore, an early harvest extra virgin olive oil has more of them.

Next, consumers should keep their eyes peeled for Coratina, Cornicabra, Maurino, Picual and Mission monocultivars or Tuscan blends. These olive varieties have the highest levels of polyphenols.

Additionally, olives harvested in temperate climates instead of arid ones also have higher levels of polyphenols. This is likely due to the olives’ maturation rate in these specific climates.

Finally, if none of this information is readily available, select robust EVOOs over mild or delicate ones. The oils are robust (as previously discussed) due to the presence of polyphenols.

Where can I find the best extra virgin olive oil?

The retail finder on the Official Guide to the World’s Best Olive Oils makes it easy to find award-winning extra virgin olive oils near you or through online retailers.

Scientists at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki investigated how the molecular and physiological profiles of olive drupes change as they go through the ripening process.

The researchers hope that a better understanding of ripening will help farmers make the best decisions for planting table olive and olive oil-producing varieties. The scientists explained that one of the project’s main goals is to help develop the Greek countryside while promoting the interests of producers and consumers.

“At the same time, emphasis is placed on plant protection and the fight against important enemies of the olive tree,” Evangelos Karagiannis, who led the research team, told Olive Oil Times.

The researchers emphasized that olive development is a complex biological process that affects the human diet, and their study aimed to understand the molecular basis of olive quality better.

“This means that by deploying high-throughput analyses, such as liquid chromatography or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques and others, we obtain novel proteomic [the large-scale study of proteins] and metabolomic data,” Karagiannis said.

“This provides new knowledge about the molecular and physiological profile of the olive during drupe development,” he added. “This knowledge paves the way for further research, for example with breeding programs, and provides new insights into the final quality features of the fruits.”

According to the researchers, multilevel studies integrating olive transcriptomics (the study of an organism’s RNA), proteomics and metabolomics are still lacking.

“Such an analytical approach will provide an enormous amount of data that expands our knowledge in the olive development and maturation process,” the researchers wrote.

The first metabolomic investigation conducted by the Greek researchers focused on the Chondrolia Chalkidikis cultivar.

“This cultivar is characterized by its big and green olives that are harvested by hand,” Karagiannis said. “It was selected because it is widespread in northern Greece. Its drupes were mainly picked during the green-mature stage right before they turned purple.”

Those fruits were then examined in six subsequent stages of ripening. The amount of primary and secondary metabolites and proteins were identified, and how they changed throughout the ripening process was also observed.

“We obtained a metabolomic and proteomic profile of Chondrolia Chalkidikis at the green-mature and purple-turning-black stages, which are the stages mostly used for both table olive and olive oil production,” Karagiannis said. “This allowed us to understand the relevant biochemical pathways associated with the development process.”

“More specifically, this approach will provide new insights and update our current knowledge on the important role of proteins and metabolites in drupe development and ripening, and thus would provide a basis for further study on olive ripening biology,” he added.

The olive fruit ripening transition from the green-mature to the purple-turning-black stage triggers numerous phenotypical and physiological changes – for example, the softening of the drupe. It also leads to changes at the molecular level, such as carbohydrate regulation.

“According to the results of our study, at the purple-turning-black stage, the main highlights are carbohydrate metabolisms, such as cellobiose and galactose, and oleuropein accumulation,” Karagiannis said. “On the other hand, at the green-mature stage, several photosynthetic-related proteins were significantly up-regulated.”

“This result clearly indicates the direct connection between the phenotypical characteristics of the olives – for instance, their green color – with changes in the molecular-biological level, such as the increase of the photosynthetic proteins,” he added.

At the current research stage, scientists are investigating how much the observed metabolomic shifts during ripening depend on factors such as the cultivar or the tree’s location.

“Both metabolomic and proteomic shifts depend greatly on distinct parameters such as the evaluated cultivar, growing location, terrain, water supply, stage of development and so on,” Karagiannis said.

“For instance, it is known that oleuropein is the most accumulated compound in olive drupes,” he added. “However, in green-colored olive cultivars at harvest period, oleuropein concentration could remain at high levels or may fall to zero at full maturation in some purple-black-colored cultivars.”

“Moreover, it is worth mentioning that most of the olive developmental-related studies are mainly focusing on the secondary metabolism, without providing certain information about the primary metabolism, which is directly involved in fruit’s normal growth and development,” Karagiannis continued.

Overall, the researchers observed several key changes of the proteins and the metabolites they believe lay the groundwork for further studies to understand olive fruit development better.

“This study uncovered the important role of proteins and metabolites that are associated with drupe development and would provide a basis for further study on olive biology,” the researchers concluded.

• Food Chemistry
• The Olive Tree Genome

Only a few brands list polyphenol contents online, but often as just a plain number, without an explicit mention of the units in which the polyphenol values were measured.

This creates confusion since different polyphenol test methods may be used by different labs depending on their capabilities, and polyphenol results may be wildly different and not directly comparable.

For example, tests expressed in gallic or caffeic acid units are almost equivalent but completely dissimilar to other units.

We could delve into the fine points of how polyphenols are measured. But for simplicity’s sake, here is a guideline for selecting high polyphenol oils, with no additional information other than what is on the bottle’s label:

Early harvest (NOT late harvest)

The accumulation of polyphenols in the olive fruit occurs earlier than the oil buildup. The composition may change during the growing season with a later decrease at the onset of fruit ripening. Thus, early harvest olive oils will have a higher level of polyphenols.

Produced in temperate climates (NOT desert climates)

The difference in polyphenol content between olives grown in temperate and desert climates may be due to the rate of ripening of the fruit.

Desert olives may ripen earlier with an overall decreased level of polyphenols. On the other hand, mild water stress, as can be done in rain-fed orchards in Mediterranean climates, may result in an increase in polyphenols.

The genetics of olive varieties determine the polyphenol level potential and there is a great diversity of cultivars.

The content of polyphenols in the fruit may be a hundred to a thousand-fold higher than in the resulting oil. That is why table olives need to be de-bittered by fermentation, brining or chemical treatment to make them edible.

Also, table olive varieties have been selected for lower bitterness, and thereby a lower heritable level of polyphenols. Olive varieties intended for oil production, on the other hand, can have higher polyphenols in the fruit while, unfortunately, most will be lost during milling.

Some olive oil brands put extra effort into obtaining high-polyphenol oils. The miller who processes the olive fruit has a major role in achieving it. Unfortunately, it is not indicated on the label what the milling goals were.

If mainly interested in oleuropein and oleocanthal content because of the health benefit claims, one must rely on lab tests that quantify those polyphenols or the taste of the oil itself: bitterness is mostly due to oleuropein and pungency (the throat sensation triggering coughing) to oleocanthal.

Also, bear in mind that these two complex polyphenols are mostly present in fresh oils and are naturally depleted in older oils.

Let’s enjoy gifts of nature that dedicated olive growers and millers have crafted for us.

Olives contain phenolic compounds that create a bitter flavor when they are fresh, and the compounds are often neutralized with chemicals and repeated rinses, according to the paper, “Reducing phenolics related to bitterness in table olives” by researchers Rebecca L. Johnson and Alyson E. Mitchell from the University of California, Davis. The paper was published in the Journal of Food Quality in August 2018.

“Current commercial table olive processing methods remove many of these bitter phenolic compounds and as a result, can alter the health-promoting potential of various table olive products,” the researchers wrote. “Additionally, current commercial table olive processing methods are some of the most water-intensive methods used in commercial food processing and can require more than 7,571 liters of water per ton of olives (e.g., California and Spanish methods) and generate highly toxic wastewater.”

The researchers wrote that their group experimented with four Amberlite resins and found that they not only removed the bitterness but saved the compounds for other uses rather than destroying them.

See Also: New Project Turns Olive Oil Byproducts Into Revenue Stream

“Preliminary results demonstrate that all resins could remove oleuropein during brine treatments thereby significantly reducing olive bitterness without the need for additional processing,” Johnson and Mitchell wrote.

Oleuropeins are only one phenolic compound contained in olives, though they are the most common during harvest time, Johnson and Mitchell added.

There are three primary methods used by commercial olive processors: Greek, Spanish and California. Johnson and Mitchell noted there are less popular artesian means to debitter the olives, but added that they are not ideal for commercial use. The Greek style uses a smaller amount of water to the Spanish and California ones do, though each has its pros and cons. The California process uses the most water, according to the authors.

The problem with wastewater from processing table olives has been noted before. In July 2018, Bárbara Rincón-Llorente, David de la Lama-Calvente, María J Fernández-Rodríguez, and Rafael Borja-Padilla wrote, “Table Olive Wastewater: Problem, Treatments and Future Strategy. A Review” published in Front Microbiol.

“At present, there is no standard treatment for these wastewaters with acceptable results and which is applied in the industry,” they wrote. “Currently, the most common treatment is the storage of these wastewaters in large evaporation ponds where, during the dry season, the wastewater disappears due to evaporation. This is not a solution as the evaporation ponds depend completely upon the climatology and have a high number of associated problems, such as bad odors, insect proliferation and the contamination of underground aquifers.”

In fact, olives are one of the worst foods as far as water use in the industry.

“Olive processing is one of the most water-intensive fruit or vegetable processing methods,” Johnson and Mitchell wrote. “The wastewater that is produced is a dark effluent with high organic burden and polyphenol content that exhibits antibacterial properties. Releasing effluent streams directing into local water systems or on land can result in toxicological consequences and environmental contamination.”

The water is generally sent to evaporation ponds, which Johnson and Mitchell note has several problems similar to those noted in the earlier article published in Front Microbiol.

In both articles, the researchers noted the critical issue of producing large amounts of wastewater, particularly in regions that are already experiencing drought.

The problem has been compounded by higher demand for olives and olive oil.

“The consumption of table olives increased globally by 182 percent, and olive oil consumption increased by 76 percent between 1990 and 2016,” Johnson and Mitchell wrote. “This increase is attributed to the popularity of the Mediterranean diet, which is linked to reducing cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related conditions.”

Johnson and Mitchell listed several different potential methods of debittering olives, noting that researchers have looked into using oxygen overpressure, carbon dioxide overpressure and more. The resin method both debittered the olives and preserved the phenolics for future use.

The authors recognized the importance of local and time-honored methods but felt the need to look for less wasteful ways to enjoy olives.

“Table olives are a popular food product consumed worldwide,” Johnson and Mitchell wrote. “While traditional and region-specific olive processing methods should be celebrated, there is the opportunity to develop new technologies for debittering olives, that will enable the creation of novel products with new textures, flavors and health-promoting properties that will appeal to contemporary consumers and expand markets. Novel technologies can also reduce water and labor costs and increase environmental sustainability.”

• Journal of Food Quality


• Front Microbiol

Spyros Danellis, a member of the Greek Parliament, brought up the matter of the decision of the European Commission (2017/2373). With this decision, effective January 1, 2018, the Commission granted permission to a Spanish biotechnology company to enrich seed oils with phenols.

Danellis said in his statement: “Since January 2018, the 2017/2373 decision has enabled polyphenols to be added to seed oils, and particularly hydroxytyrosol, which is known as one of the basic healthy substances of olive oil. The blending is allowed up to 215 mg per kilo, very close to the phenols that olive oils should contain.”

“The decision, issued after a claim of a Spanish company, legitimizes adulteration and it will prove destructive for Greek olive oil.”

The specific implementing decision stipulates that hydroxytyrosol can be added to fish and vegetable oils, and also to spreadable fats. It also imposes restrictions that the new products should not be used for cooking, baking or frying, and should not be consumed by children under the age of three or pregnant and breastfeeding women. These restrictions must be written on the label of the product to inform consumers.

Before issuing the decision, the Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to provide their scientific opinion on the safety of using synthetic hydroxytyrosol as a food additive. A panel of experts of EFSA examined the facts and concluded that the proposed use of the substance is safe, within the quantities and the restrictions mentioned above.

Danellis continued by presenting the possible repercussions of the decision: “The countries that produce seed oils, of which Spain is the leader, will now promote that seed oils enriched with hydroxytyrosol and a‑tocopherol (which is actually vitamin E and is already allowed as an additive) can fight oxidation, something that was an important sign of superiority of olive oil…The decision opens up a new era for olive oil and seed oils in the international markets.”

With the EU regulation 432/2012, the antioxidant properties of olive oil were highlighted. The regulation enabled standardized olive oil to bear a health claim on its label saying that polyphenols can contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress.

This health claim can be used only for olive oils containing at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol or its derivatives, and it is recommended that a person should consume a minimum of 20 mg of olive oil a day for the claim to be effective. It is worth noting that olive oil contains many phenolic compounds, with the most important being oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol.

Olive oil is also a source of a certain vitamin like a‑tocopherol, Danellis mentioned. To achieve this nutritional claim, food must fulfill some other requirements contained in the 432/2012 regulation.

The 2017/2373 implementing decision of the European Commission is valid only for the specific company it is addressed to, and it limits the usage of the seed oils enriched with synthetic hydroxytyrosol to other than cooking. Nevertheless, it is a first step towards changing some constants of the edible oil industry.

Experts in Greece warned that, following the global trend of duplicating natural substances and elements to use in drugs and food, this could be only the beginning of adding more human-made compounds to seed oils to threaten the established position of olive oil.

• Agronews.gr


• Agro24.gr

Its onset and causes are not fully understood. Various research studies have tried to investigate the condition and have found the cause to be many factors including impaired hormone function, altered neurotransmitters, increased inflammation, and oxidative stress, which arises as a leader.
See Also: Olive Oil Health Benefits
extra virgin olive oil is a natural antioxidant that has been shown to play a role in downregulating oxidative stress in various studies. Previous research has shown that antioxidant rich supplements and foods have decreased pain in fibromyalgia sufferers.

Until now, there have been no studies examining the effects ofextra virgin olive oil on fibromyalgia outcomes. For the first time ever, a study published in Biological Research for Nursing, aimed to investigate ifextra virgin olive oil could contribute benefits on oxidative stress markers and health parameters in 23 women participants suffering from fibromyalgia.

Participants were enrolled in a 3 week randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. The intervention included the consumption ofextra virgin olive oil or refined olive oil (ROO), each group consuming 50 ml/ day of raw oil. The organic olive oil samples were both from Olifarma S.L., Granada, Spain and consisted of different antioxidant content.

Participants were required to complete a series of 24-hour food recalls. Estimates of olive oil consumption, along with macro and micronutrient quantities were calculated from the average of 3 days of food recall data. Based on baseline results, participants were given nutritional instruction for improving their diet and supplied with olive oil samples.

Along with dietary data, participants were also required to undergo interviews and questionnaires about their physical and mental status and functional capacity in activities of daily living, along with having blood samples collected to measure various oxidative parameters.

The results showed that theextra virgin olive oil group significantly reduced oxidative stress markers, had a greater reduction in levels of protein carbonyls, and decreased lipid peroxidation levels, whereas the ROO group showed no such effects. However, as far as the antioxidative profile, there was no difference between the two groups for enzymatic activity. Though zinc levels did increase in both groups.

Theextra virgin olive oil group showed significant changes in relation to health-related parameters, where the ROO group showed no effect on these outcomes and even showed a worsening of scores in relation to some values.

The authors concluded that for the first time, it had been revealed that “EVOO may protect patients against fibromyalgia-induced oxidative stress by diminishing protein, lipid, and DNA oxidation and raising zinc levels as well as improve functional capacity and health-related psychological status.”

They stated, “our data reveal that consumption of organicextra virgin olive oil may improve oxidative stress in patients with FM, suggesting that its consumption contributes to the dietary intake of biologically active compounds.”

The authors speculated that these effects are likely due to phenolic compounds oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol but suggest that further research is needed to confirm these results and establish contributing mechanisms to these effects.

• Biological Research for Nursing

Oxidative stress results from an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and evidence suggests that it contributes to the pathogenesis of PD by affecting the mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, inflammatory response or lysosomal degradation (autophagy) pathways.
See Also: Olive Oil Health Benefits
In particular, since the autophagy-lysosomal pathway is known to be the central cellular mechanism for protein aggregate degradation and removal of damaged mitochondria, disruption of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway by ROS has been implicated in the pathogenesis of PD and of great interest as a therapeutic target.

The main challenge with the treatment of PD is due to the late clinical presentation when neuronal loss has already occurred, thus efforts are concentrated on finding strategies that protect or halt neuron loss.

Increasing evidence has shown natural polyphenols such as catechins, resveratrol and isoflavons exert neuroprotective effects by decreasing oxidative stress, inflammation and neuron death (apoptosis). In particular, oleuropein (OLE), one of the major phenolic components of olive oil, has been demonstrated to have a broad spectrum of therapeutic benefits including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer as well as antimicrobial activities.

Of interest, OLE has been found to reduce apoptosis and ROS generation in preclinical models. Recent findings of a study published in the International Journal of Molecular Science indicated treatment of neuronal PC12 cells with OLE not only lowered oxidative stress levels and apoptosis but also modulated the autophagy process.

The researchers initially treated cells with OLE before the addition of a potent Parkinson toxin (6‑OHDA) demonstrating significant reduction in neuron cell death, and concluded that “these results endorse OLE as a pro-survival molecule playing a preventive pro-survival role in our cellular paradigm.”

Further data in support of the neuroprotective effect of OLE was obtained when the same cellular model was treated with OLE before the addition of a powerful inhibitor of the superoxide dismutase enzyme (known as DDC), resulting in a considerable reduction in mitochondrial superoxide production.

Next, the researchers assessed biomarker expression specific to the autophagy process. Their data suggested OLE plays a novel role in preventing autophagy stimulation by affecting the expression levels of proteins involved in the lysosomal pathway.

The authors cautioned that while “these results support a role for OLE as a modulator of the autophagic flux, autophagy activation is also linked to neuronal death” and therefore the exact role and use of OLE in lysosomal degradation pathway requires further research before clinical translation as a therapeutic target of the autophagy process.

The final take-home message of the study was that “these data solidify oleuropein as a candidate for the development of novel preventive therapies in neurodegenerative diseases with a facet of oxidative stress and/or impairment of autophagy, such as in Parkinson’s Disease.”

• International Journal of Molecular Science

According to The Lancet Global Health publication, from 2020 to 2040 AMD burden is projected to increase by about 40 percent globally.
See Also: Olive Oil Health Benefits
The lack of effective treatment modalities for advanced AMD has refocused efforts of researchers on developing preventive strategies for AMD development or progression, aimed at reversible risk factors such as nutrition and lifestyle practices.

Increasing clinical evidence associated adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) rich in olive oil with reduced risk of AMD progression; the most recent study on MD found the risk of AMD development to late stage lowered as much as 26 percent in older adults.

Despite extensive epidemiological studies on the potential role of nutrition especially dietary fat in AMD prevention, there are very few published studies on direct olive oil and AMD association.

The findings of a recent study by French researchers revealed a direct link between olive oil consumption and reduced incidence of AMD in a group of elderly French volunteers.

The French study design and some of their findings were remarkably similar to a large Australian study, the only other published clinical research on a direct association between olive oil intake and lower occurrence of late AMD.

However, the French findings revealed greater regular consumption of olive oil by the French participants (73.2 percent) compared to the Australian study population (53.6 percent). In addition, the investigators compared other oils and butter as related to AMD and did not find any association.

Although olive oil major component is oleic acid, nevertheless the role of dietary monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and its link to AMD is highly questionable due to contradictory published reports.

French researchers deduced that the protective effect of olive oil might be due to possibly phenolic components such as oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein all previously reported to exhibit significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.

One plausible protective mechanism, the authors argued is through oleocanthal, which has comparable anti-inflammatory effects to a low dose of ibuprofen, whereby it lowers oxidative stress naturally over time reducing progression of AMD in older adults.

Interestingly, previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that antioxidant activity of hydroxytyrosol imparted considerable protection of mitochondria within retina cells of the eyes against antioxidant damage. Therefore, the synergistic mechanism action of olive oil bioactive components remains to be determined.

The French group also showed that other confounding factors such as diet, socioeconomic status and BMI had negligible influence on the connection between olive oil use and late AMD.

Authors concluded that larger studies are required for establishing whether olive oil reduces genetic risk in adults affected by AMD. In addition, further studies will clarify the underlying protective mechanism of olive oil phytonutrients on the late AMD onset and progression.

• Causes of vision loss worldwide, 1990–2010: a systematic
  analysis


• Olive Oil Consumption and Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Alienor Study


• Fat Consumption and Its Association With Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Infections or infectious diseases are caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and various other disease causing agents. Once an infection is contracted, the human body relies on the immune system to fight the infection through a range of cellular, inflammatory, and immune reactions. Although there are medications to treat infection, naturally derived food sources such asextra virgin olive oil also show promise in preventing and treating infection also.

Early in vitro studies showed that several polyphenols in olive oil have antibacterial properties against human pathogens, particularly oleuropein, tyrosol, and hydroxytyrosol. In a 5 minute room temperature test, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol decreased the activity of Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria contracted from contaminated food that causes the bacterial infection known as Listeriosis.

Decarboxymethyl elenolic acid (EDA), p‑HPEA-EDA, and 3,4‑DHPEA-EDA have been shown to have greater antimicrobial activity than the commercial disinfectants glutaraldehyde and ortho- phthalaldehyde. The phenolic compound oleocanthal has been shown to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori bacteria, a bacteria associated with peptic ulcer and gastric cancer development.

Hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein have been shown to have antiviral activity in a dose-dependent manner. They were shown to inhibit the main viral fusing protein in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 target cells. Hydroxytyrosol has been shown to disrupt the influenza virus. Oleuropein has been shown to have anti-hepatitis B activity.

Although all of the above benefits have been discovered, these effects have only been demonstrated through in vitro studies at this stage. However, there have also been several animal and human studies that do show the benefits ofextra virgin olive oil for infection.

In rabbits, acute pyelonephritis, a kidney infection caused by bacteria was induced. Doses of 21 mg oleuropein were injected to the animals. Oleuropein alone or in conjunction with regular kidney infection medications prolonged the rabbits survival.

In recent times, researchers have begun to understand the role of intestinal microorganisms (gut microbes) in the overall health of the immune system. Therefore, protection against the growth of certain microorganisms can help in the treatment of some infectious diseases.

Because the skin of preterm infants is not completely developed, they are particularly vulnerable to skin infections due to highly pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, altering the skin microbiota could reduce infections and provide additional benefits. A case-control study, published in Early Human Development, 2010, aimed to investigate if olive oil (OO) application could influence the skin’s microbiota composition. Thirty-five very low birth weight infants were randomized to either daily skin application of olive oil or routine skin care for the first two weeks of life. A variety of bacteria were evaluated with both applications showing beneficial results. Though no significant differences were established between OO or a regular skincare routine, what the study showed is that OO is just as effective and is also well tolerated by preterm infants as a prebiotic enhancing agent.

A study, published in Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 2016, established that changes in gut microbes in subjects with metabolic syndrome had immune enhancing effects. The authors concluding that “the consumption of a Mediterranean diet increased the abundance of the Bacteroides genus member B. thetaiotaomicron and F. prausnitzii, which suggest that the consumption of this diet may increase or maintain a microbiota with antiinflammatory capability.”

A pressure ulcer is a skin lesion, an infected wound that is produced secondary to inadequate blood supply to the area. Pressure ulcers are a common skin issue in immobilized patients. In a study, published in the PLOS ONE, 2015, researchers discovered that topical application ofextra virgin olive oil is a more cost-effective alternative for treating pressure ulcers in immobilized patients with the same beneficial outcomes as commonly used HOFA skin care products.

Fatty acids, also known as dietary lipids, are also involved in the modulation of the immune system and inflammatory processes. Oleuropein aglycone inhibits the proinflammatory molecule TNF‑a. Hydroxytyrosol has been shown to reduce TNF‑a and interleukin‑1 beta with promising effects on other key proinflammatory molecules. Tyrosol has been shown to inhibit COX‑2. And oleocanthal has extensive research surrounding its anti-inflammatory benefits for preventing and treating various health conditions.

A randomized, single-blinded study in Nutrition & Metabolism, 2015, aimed to determine the effect on immune responses when replacing oils in a typical American diet withextra virgin olive oil for a 3 month period. Forty-one obese or overweight subjects were randomized toextra virgin olive oil or a mixture of corn, soybean oil and butter (CON). Theextra virgin olive oil group saw decreases in blood pressure, increases in HDL cholesterol levels, and in direct relation to the immune system, increased anti-CD3/anti-CD28 stimulated T cell proliferation, showing clear immunological health benefits.

Overall, the results of both in vitro and in vivo studies show that OO is beneficial for various infections and infectious diseases. Best of all, it’s a natural food source that is readily available to everyone and comes with no side effects.

• Olive Oil and Infection


• Current Opinion in Biotechnology


• Early Human Development


• Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry


• PLOS ONE


• Nutrition & Metabolism

extra virgin olive oil is known to help prevent a variety cancers such as colorectal, prostate, lung, endometrial and breast cancer. A new study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, Jan 2016, reports that the “chemopreventive ability ofextra virgin olive oil is not only due to fatty acids but also to its content of phenolic compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids.”
See Also: Olive Oil Health Benefits
It is known that oleuropein, a phenolic compound in olive oil, inhibits glioblastoma cell migration. It is also known that oleocanthal, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound in olive oil, down-regulates cyclooxygenase‑2 (COX‑2) expression in colon cancer cells.

However, until now, a study investigating the anti-inflammatory effects ofextra virgin olive oil compounds against cytokines (inflammatory molecules) in glioblastoma cells had never before been conducted.

This new in-vitro study shows thatextra virgin olive oil does in fact reduce the production of chronic inflammation on glioblastoma progression via one particular proinflammatory molecule, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‑a). The proinflammatory cytokine, TNF‑a, directly induces COX‑2, an inflammatory biomarker in glioblastoma cells.

In the study, the cells were incubated for 24 hours with and without the presence of olive oil compounds, oleic acid, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol. The cells were then subject to TNF‑a stimulation for a further 24 hours.

As expected, TNF‑a caused a marked increase in COX‑2 expression. Oleic acid inhibited this expression by 61.7 percent, tyrosol inhibited it by 36.5 percent, while hydroxytyrosol did not show any significant differences.

Further investigations were conducted to understand the mechanisms behind these inhibitory actions.

In a concentration-dependent manner there was, “inhibition of TNF‑a induced down-stream signalling pathways,” the pathways varying for both oleic acid and tyrosol. The researchers also investigated another proinflammatory molecule secreted by glioblastoma cells, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Again, the results showed that oleic acid and tyrosol significantly reduced TNF‑a induced PGE2 by 45.4 percent and 71.5 percent, respectively.

Lastly, the researchers analyzed the effects of oleic acid and tyrosol on human brain microvascular endothelial cell migration “by directly targeting the chemotactic activity of PGE2.The results showed that the olive oil compounds block the endothelial cell migration through different cellular mechanisms.”

Overall, what the research shows is that dietary interventions such as usingextra virgin olive oil can help reduce brain tumors by down-regulating proinflammatory molecules and preventing chronic inflammation within the microenvironment that drives the glioblastoma growth.

The researchers said the results of the study suggest that, “Given that cancer development and progression is a multistep process, supplementation with olive oil may represent an efficient dietary intervention in the prevention and/or management of glioblastoma.”

• Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry

Corfu has been known as a Mediterranean tourist destination for decades but it has not been particularly known for producing exceptional olive oil. That could be changing.

Spyros Dafnis, a recent University of Economics graduate whose family owns an olive mill in Corfu decided to try a new method of harvesting and milling the olives to see if he could get better results.

The main varietal is called Lianolia and is found almost exclusively in Corfu. Lianolia grows exceptionally tall sometimes reaching 18 meters (59 feet), making it very difficult to harvest the olives early. Farmers usually wait until late in the season when the olives practically fall on their own onto nets laid on the ground.

Dafnis explained what motivated him and his family to break with centuries of tradition of how olives were harvested and milled.

“Our idea was born amid the crisis in our country in recent years. As an antidote to the crisis, we embraced the “revolution.” A revolution of creativity, innovation and knowledge. For this to happen we needed to think alternatively and act unconventionally.

We saw around us a natural wealth left at the mercy of tradition which resulted in a product that dishonoured itself by not realizing its full potential. So we decided to pursue our dream by breaking the tradition that our island could not produce high quality olive oil.”

Mr. Dafnis and his brother Giorgos, together with the enthusiastic support of their family, studied research papers on olive oils containing high phenolic levels. They decided to abandon the traditional method of harvesting with the goal of producing a premium high phenolic EVOO.

It was a gamble. They acquired a mechanical shaker in order to begin the harvest in mid-October, they lowered the temperature during the malaxation phase, eliminated the use of water and the use of a centrifuge. They had theirextra virgin olive oil tested using the new Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) method recently developed by Dr. Prokopios Magiatis at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Theirextra virgin olive oil made exclusively from Lianolia varietal contained the highest levels of phenolic compounds ever recorded in Greece.

They expected the olive oil to be good, but did not imagine it would be this exceptional:

Oleocanthal: 680 mg/Κg
Oleacein: 350 mg/Kg
Oleuropein aglycon: 53mg/Kg
Ligstroside aglycon: 58mg/Kg

Over 1 gram of phenolic compounds per kilo (total 1141 mg/Kg)

Within two years of dedicated study and application the Dafnis family has put Corfu and the Lianolia variety firmly on the world olive oil map.

In anticipation of a positive result they also created an olive bottle design and a brand name. Their brand, “The Governor.” (The name was inspired by Ioannis Kapodistrias who was born in Corfu and was the first elected head of state or “The Governor” of newly-liberated Greece in 1828. He was known as a reformer and educator who built the first university in modern Greece where, coincidentally, the NMR method was invented.)

The Governor was awarded Golden Star at the Great Taste Awards and the silver medal at a competition in Japan this year.

Producing anextra virgin olive oil that combines extremely high phenolic content with award winning taste is not an easy task. Spyros and family are intent on continuing their experiments and sharing they knowledge they have gained with other olive growers from Corfu and around the world.

The origin of the Lianolia variety found almost exclusively on Corfu is said to have been brought to the Island during the Venetian rule of Corfu about 500 years ago. Its true origin is shrouded in mystery.

Homer mentions Corfu in The Odyssey as having olive trees. This was thousands of years before Venetian rule. How and why did the local varieties disappear?

Perhaps now there will be a renewed scientific interest to discover where the Lianolia olive originated.

A new patent application highlights the possible usefulness of olive compounds hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein in healing wounds.

Including them in compositions containing human umbilical cord stem cells reduces the time for a wound to close by about 30 percent compared to just the cells alone, it is claimed in the application.

Recently published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the application also says that the amount of retrieved cord blood is expected to increase as physicians and expectant parents become more aware of its potential uses.

Darlene E. McCord is listed as both the inventor and applicant on the document, “Methods for improved wound closure employing Olivamine and human umbilical vein endothelial cells.”

Olivamine is the tradename for a McCord Research product that contains hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein.

McCord said in the application that one of the objectives of the topical composition is to significantly accelerate wound closure, including for wounds that tend to resist healing.

Umbilical vein endothelial cells are already known to aid wound healing, but adding hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein “synergistically enhances wound repair,” she said.

Hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein are polyphenols found in olives, olive leaves, olive oil and even the waste water from olive oil production. The composition, however, could use these natural sources or derive its hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein from chemical synthesis.

“Compositions comprising hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein may be used to reduce the concentration of free-radicals in the cells of skin tissue to improve cellular function. In addition, compositions comprising sufficient hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein may be used to induce cells into or maintain them in a reversible quiescent (dormant) state to provide them with time to heal and return to a more viable state with a reduced risk of necrosis,” she said.

• Methods for improved wound closure employing olivamine and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. (US20130266545 A1)