OLIVE OILS AND HEALTH 68 3.4. The need for reliable methods to characterize olive oil The regulations from the entities responsible for olive oil quality (IOC, Codex Alimentarius, EU) consist of more than thirty physicochemical parameters and sensory analyses which classify olive oils into the different commercial categories. Concerning minor compounds, however, only the sterol composition and content is regulated. In the absence of official (or recommended) methods, innovative and powerful methods of analysis for olive oil characterisation are therefore needed. Such tools can help to establish a detailed composition of the olive oil as a “nutritional treasure” so as to assess the relationship between its chemical composition and health. A proper and in-depth characterization of olive oil would make possible: • differentiation of olive varieties or authentication of geographic origin • evaluation of the impact of agro-technological parameters on oil final composition • establishment of absolute concentrations of key bioactive compounds present in the oil • insights into the bioavailability of target compounds from nutritional intervention studies Innovation in analytical tools, together with multidisciplinary studies comprising experts from different fields working together, would reinforce the olive sector and its economic, social, and cultural relevance.
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