Nutritional quality assessment of extra virgin olive oil from the Italian retail market: Do natural antioxidants satisfy EFSA health claims?

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the top commercial grade of olive oil, and its fatty acid composition and minor compounds have many documented health benefits. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recently attributed some health claims to EVOO. Although numerous studies have been carried out on its production technology and nutritional effects, little is known about the composition and quality of EVOO from the retail market. Thus, our aim was to evaluate EVOOs from the Italian market by assessing their fatty acid composition, quality indices, polyphenols, tocopherol content and antioxidant activity (ABTS method) with a view to the possible application of EFSA health claims. High variability was found for phenolic compounds and tocopherols, the levels of which were significantly higher in 100% Italian labeled oils compared with European Union blends. Consumption of the recommended daily amount of EVOO would cover about 50% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of tocopherols, as well as the polyphenol intake recommended by EFSA. Only 3 of the 32 samples had a phenolic content above 250 ppm. Particularly high polyphenol indices were found in the samples of Italian oils covered by Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs). In conclusion, the food industry and consumers need to pay close attention to producing and choosing the best EVOO from the nutritional viewpoint.