Evaluation of the neuroprotective and antidiabetic potential of phenol-rich extracts from virgin olive oils by in vitro assays

Food Research International, 106, 558-567, 2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.01.026

In this work, phenol-rich extracts from ‘Cornicabra’ and ‘Picual’ virgin-olive oils (EVOOs) were examined, for the first time, to establish their capacity to inhibit key enzymes involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) (acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and 5-lipoxygenase (LOX)), major depressive disorder (MDD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) (monoamine oxidases: hMAO-A and hMAO-B respectively), and diabetes mellitus (DM) (α-glucosidase and α-amylase). ‘Cornicabra’ displayed the best inhibitory activity against all enzymes, when compared to ‘Picual’: BuChE (IC50 = 156 ± 4 and 308 ± 33 mg mL−1), LOX (IC50 = 26 ± 0.5 and 37 ± 3 mg mL−1), hMAO-A (IC50 = 20 ± 2 and 37 ± 0.2 mg mL−1), hMAO-B (IC50 = 131 ± 7 and 215 ± 13 mg mL−1) and α-glucosidase (IC50 = 154 ± 17 and 251 ± 31 mg mL−1), respectively. The behaviour observed can be associated with the higher content of secoiridoids, lignans and phenolic acids in ‘Cornicabra’ EVOO.

Blending Local olive oils with Arbequina or Picual oils produces high quality, distinctive EVOOs

European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology. 2015

doi 10.1002/ejlt.201400357

Arbequina and Picual are the most common olive fruit varieties cultivated in Galicia (NW Spain). However, in recent years, the interest of oil producers in autochthonous Local olive fruits has increased substantially since its oil has differentiated and peculiar characteristics, especially with respect to the aromatic and phenolic composition. The blending of Local oil (in low percentages) with Arbequina or Picual oils is assessed in this study. Quality-related indices, fatty acid composition, as well as minor compounds, such as volatiles and phenolics, were determined for both monovarietal and blending oils. Results obtained showed that the blending has the advantage of producing high quality virgin olive oil with predictable phenolic and aromatic profiles.

Assessment of extra virgin olive oil blends from monovarietal oils produced in NW Spain

European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology

DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.201400357

Arbequina and Picual are the most common olive fruit varieties cultivated in Galicia (NW Spain). However, in recent years, the interest of oil producers in autochthonous Local olive fruits has increased substantially since its oil has differentiated and peculiar characteristics, especially with respect to the aromatic and phenolic composition. The blending of Local oil (in low percentages) with Arbequina or Picual oils is assessed in this study. Quality-related indices, fatty acid composition as well as minor compounds, such as volatiles and phenolics, were determined for both monovarietal and blending oils. Results obtained showed that the blending has the advantage of producing high quality virgin olive oil with predictable phenolic and aromatic profiles.

Characterisation of extra virgin olive oils from Galician autochthonous varieties and their co-crushings with Arbequina and Picual cv.

Food Chemistry (2015) 176, 493-503

The current trend of the olive oil market is the production of high quality extra from traditional minor olive varieties with peculiar and differentiated characteristics (especially with respect to the aromatic and phenolic composition). In this way, the interest of Galician oil producers (NW Spain) in recovering old autochthonous Local olive fruits has increased substantially in recent years. In order to investigate the potential of the Local olives by either producing high quality monovarietal oils or mixing with the most widespread olives in Galicia (Arbequina and Picual cv.), quality indices, and fatty acid composition as well as volatile and phenolic profiles were determined and compared. All EVOOs studied in this work can be considered as "extra virgin olive oil" due to quality indices fell within the ranges established in legislation. Picual and Local olive oils as well as those resulting from their co-crushing reach values which are required by EU legislation to add the specific health claim on the oil label. Co-crushing Picual:Local (80:20) provided a significant enhancement of grass and apple nuances and a decrease of banana notes with respect to Picual oils. The co-crushing process improved sensory and health properties of Picual extra virgin olive oils. The effect of co-crushing on phenolics, ester volatiles and banana nuances cannot be easily modulated, contrary to quality indices and fatty acid composition, both changing linearly in strict correlation with the fruit mass ratio.