Due to the unique extraction process, extra virgin olive oils conserve
numerous substances, which are often excluded from other vegetable oils during the
extraction and refining steps. Previous works showed that fatty acids profile of lipids
are important for the dietary. In the last five decades many researchers demonstrated
that monounsaturated fatty acids are involved in prevention of diseases such as the
metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular ones. Moreover, vitamin E is active against
weakened immunity, aging, environmental toxic substances, diabetic syndrome
symptoms, enhancing the health status from different points of view, such as
cardiovascular and neoplastic ones. Hydroxytyrosol has many effects; it is an antiinflammatory
compound, with antibacterial, antioxidant and cardioprotective
properties. However, not all extra virgin olive oils are equal. Inside the market category
“extra virgin” there is a wide number of products ranging from the highest quality to
the standard quality ones. In 2012 the European Commission approved three health
claim applicable to the extra virgin olive oil but they are still scarcely used by the
producers.
Keywords: Bioactive compounds, Extra virgin olive oils, Health claim.
