Turn to the wild: A comprehensive review on the chemical composition of wild olive oil.
- 2024-11
- Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.) 196
- Dimitrios E Pavlidis
- Maria-Chrysanthi Kafentzi
- Konstantina Rekoumi
- Athanasia Koliadima
- Marina Papadelli
- Konstantinos Papadimitriou
- John Kapolos
- PubMed: 39614480
- DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115038
Study Design
- Type
- Review
Wild olive oil (WOO) derives from naturally occurring wild olive trees. WOO has received increasing attention over the last decade, in response to the growing demand of the consumer for high-quality food products which may also provide health benefits. This study provides a comprehensive review of the available studies concerning the chemical composition of WOO produced across diverse geographical regions. The composition of WOO is characterized by the presence of acylglycerols (mainly triacylglycerols), biophenols, sterols, tocopherols, pigments, and triterpene alcohols. Many of these compounds present important variations depending on the wild olive tree subspecies and the specific ecological niches of production. Further, the presence of phenolic and volatile fraction may contribute to the fruity, bitter, and pungent flavor notes of WOO. The concentration of several compounds (e.g. phenols) are comparable to those found in olive oils from cultivated varieties, while sterol levels consistently surpass the international standard of 1000 mg/kg for all olive oils (extra virgin, virgin and refined). Both the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the chemical profile of WOO underscore its potential as a viable alternative edible oil.