Authorised EU health claims for polyphenols in olive oil

Lockyer, S. and Rowland, I. (2014) Authorised EU health claims for polyphenols in olive oil. In: Sadler, M. (ed.) Foods, nutrients and food ingredients with authorised EU health claims. Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, pp. 212-228. ISBN 9780857098429

Abstract/Summary

There is evidence that various phenolic compounds (such as oleuropein, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol) found in virgin olive oil may be responsible for the beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease. In the EU there is an authorized health claim that‘olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress’ on the basis of human studies showing significantly reduced levels of oxidized LDL in plasma after virgin olive oil consumption. The claim may be used only for olive oil that contains at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g of olive oil. Other claims proposed (including maintenance of normal blood pressure and HDL cholesterol concentration, and anti-inflammatory properties) were rejected.