297 Virgin Olive Oil Benefits From a health perspective, probiotics can help to repopulate bacterial communities and prevent new pathogens from settling in the intestines, thereby contributing to infection and diarrhoea prevention, including that caused by antibiotic use, as previously mentioned. They have also been proposed for the management of certain inflammatory bowel diseases, with better outcomes in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn’s disease. However, current scientific evidence remains limited compared to the expectations raised regarding their potential benefits. In contrast, prebiotics are more commonly used as a preventive measure. A diet rich in plant fibres supports the development of a healthy microbiota and enhances its resistance to infections or imbalances. The benefits of prebiotics are better supported by evidence than those of probiotics and include improvements in intestinal transit, stimulation of the immune system, promotion of vitamin synthesis, and the prevention of constipation, among others. MICRONUTRIENTS (See MACRONUTRIENTS and MICRONUTRIENTS) MINOR COMPONENTS (See MINOR COMPOUNDS) MINOR COMPOUNDS or MINOR COMPONENTS or MINOR FRACTION BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS (a considerable number of minor compounds are bioactive, whilst evidence is unavailable for the remainder). Index of this topic: • PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS • TOCOPHEROLS • TRITERPENOIDS Components present in small amounts within a matrix. In the case of virgin and extra virgin olive oil, minor components correspond to the unsaponifiable fraction (i.e. components not derived from fatty acids), which accounts for approximately 2% of the total composition. Despite their low proportion, they are of great functional significance, as they include over 230 bioactive compounds responsible for the oil’s oxidative stability, its organoleptic characteristics, and much of its health-related benefits. The major fraction of this oil (about 98%) is the saponifiable fraction, composed primarily of triglycerides, along with smaller amounts of diglycerides, monoglycerides, and free fatty acids. Among the most relevant substances in the unsaponifiable fraction (minor components) of olive oil are phenolic compounds (also known as polyphenols), tocopherols (vitamin E), and triterpenoids, as well as other constituents such as pigments and volatile compounds. • PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS (POLYPHENOLS; ANTIOXIDANT POLYPHENOL COMPONENTS; PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS; POLYPHENOLYC COMPOUNDS; POLYPHENOL/S - different words for the same concept)
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