Total Phenolics of Virgin Olive Oils Highly Correlate with the Hydrogen Atom Transfer Mechanism of Antioxidant Capacity

Polar extracts of extra‐virgin olive oils (EVOO) contain a large number of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. The antioxidant capacity can be measured by different reaction mechanisms, as the single electron transfer (SET) or the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). In this work, the total phenolic content (TPC) by the Folin‐Ciocalteu method and its correlation with four antioxidant capacity assays (FRAP, ABTS, DPPH^? and ORAC) were evaluated for EVOO polar extracts. It was observed that the higher the total phenolic compounds in the EVOO extracts, the higher the antioxidant capacities, regardless of the method employed. The reaction mechanism observed for TPC by Folin‐Ciocalteu method and also for FRAP, ABTS and DPPH^? antioxidant capacity assays is a single electron transfer, thus, a high correlation among their results is expected. However, the correlation between TPC and ORAC results was also high and significant, allowing to conclude that EVOO phenolic compounds are able to react by the hydrogen atom transfer mechanism, which indicates that they can act as effective radical chain‐breaking antioxidants. These results suggest that, for the EVOO polar extracts, TPC by Folin‐Ciocalteu and ORAC assays could be sufficient to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant capacity.     

The olive oil oxygen radical absorbance capacity (DPPH assay) as a quality indicator

The antioxidant properties of some single components and the total antioxidant activity of extra‐virgin olive oil have been evaluated by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method. The total ORAC of the extra‐virgin olive oil was found to be positively correlated with the concentration of total polyphenols, which are important to the shelf life of the product. Among the single phenolic compounds studied, gallic acid showed a higher ORAC than caffeic acid and oleuropein, while among the derivates of oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol was found to be the most active compound among all the phenols studied. The total ORAC of commercial olive oils differed according to the concentration of total polyphenols. The total ORAC of extra‐virgin olive oil was constant during 1 year of storage in rational conditions, whereas it worsened dramatically in olive oil damaged by the lipase‐producing yeast Williopsis californica or by lipase from Pseudomonas spp. The study accomplished on the oily fraction of the fruits before harvesting demonstrated that the total ORAC of the oil of under‐ripe green olives is higher compared to that shown by mature fruits; therefore, through the choice of the harvesting time, it is possible to define also the future content of polyphenols of the oil. The total ORAC test, together with other analyses, can be considered as a qualitative parameter that can contribute to the expression of technological and health virtues of extra‐virgin olive oil.     

Determination of Aroma Profiles of Olive Oils from Turkish Olive Cultivars

This study analyzed volatile aromatic compounds present in the oils of Turkish olive cultivars. The cultivars Gemlik, Ayval?k, Memecik, Domat, Uslu, Halhal?, Kilis ya?l?k, Nizip ya?l?k, Ha?ebi and Karamani were harvested from important Turkish olive‐growing locations, such as Bal?kesir, Bursa, Manisa, Ayd?n, Mu?la, ?zmir, Kilis, Mersin, Hatay and Gaziantep during the 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 growing seasons. Olive samples were collected in two harvest years, at almost the same maturity stage, and processed under the same conditions. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME) was used to analyze volatile aroma compounds in the olive oil samples. Forty‐seven compounds were characterized and quantified using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry/flame ionization detector (GC–MS/FID). The most abundant identified compounds were trans‐2‐hexenal, hexanal and 3‐methyl‐1‐butanol. The trans‐2‐hexenal, hexanal and 3‐methyl‐1‐butanol contents of oil samples varied between 0.86–67.15, 3.93–61.82 and 0.48–84.74 %, respectively.     

Developing FT-NIR and PLS1 Methodology for Predicting Adulteration in Representative Varieties/Blends of Extra Virgin Olive Oils

It was previously demonstrated that Fourier transform near infrared (FT‐NIR) spectroscopy and partial least squares (PLS1) were successfully used to assess whether an olive oil was extra virgin, and if adulterated, with which type of vegetable oil and by how much using previously developed PLS1 calibration models. This last prediction required an initial set of four PLS1 calibration models that were based on gravimetrically prepared mixtures of a specific variety of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) spiked with adulterants. The current study was undertaken after obtaining a range of EVOO varieties grown in different countries. It was found that all the different types of EVOO varieties investigated belonged to four distinct groups, and each required the development of additional sets of specific PLS1 calibration models to ensure that they can be used to predict low concentrations of vegetable oils high in linoleic, oleic, or palmitic acid, and/or refined olive oil. These four distinct sets of PLS1 calibration models were required to cover the range of EVOO varieties with a linoleic acid content from 1.3 to 15.5 % of total fatty acids. An FT‐NIR library was established with 66 EVOO products obtained from California and Europe. The quality and/or purity of EVOO were assessed by determining the FT‐NIR Index, a measure of the volatile content of EVOO. The use of these PLS1 calibration models made it possible to predict the authenticity of EVOO and the identity and quantity of potential adulterant oils in minutes.     

The Effect of Different Cold Storage Conditions on the Compositions of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Storage conditions can affect the stability and quality of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). While many studies have reported the influence of high temperature and light exposure during storage, little is known on the influence of the cold storage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different storage conditions (25, 4.5 and ?27 °C) on the various compositions of EVOO and to determine if cold storage will prolong shelf‐life by retarding hydrolysis and oxidation. The changes of quality indices (FFA, PV, and UV) and natural antioxidants such as α‐tocopherol and phenolic compounds were evaluated periodically during storage. The characterization and quantification of phenolics were achieved by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography—diode array detector (UPLC‐DAD). In addition, 1, 2‐diacylglycerols (DAGs), pyropheophytin A (PPP) were measured to indicate thermal degradation during storage.     

A 3-year Study on Quality,Nutritional and Organoleptic Evaluation of Organic and Conventional Extra-Virgin Olive Oils

The quality of extra-virgin olive oils (EVOO) from organic and conventional farming was investigated in this 3-year (2001–2003) study. The oils were extracted from Leccino and Frantoio olive (Olea europaea) cultivars, grown in the same geographical area under either organic or conventional methods. Extra-virgin olive oils (EVOO) were produced with the same technology and samples were analyzed for nutritional and quality parameters. Volatile compounds were measured with solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (SPME–GC–MS). Sensory evaluation was also completed by a trained panel. Significant differences were found in these parameters between organic and conventional oils in some years, but no consistent trends across the 3 years were found. The acidity of organic Leccino oils was higher than conventional oils in 2001 and 2002 but not in 2003; Frantoio oils were never different. Organic Leccino oils had higher peroxide index than conventional oils in 2001 and 2002 but it was the reverse in 2003. Organic Frantoio oils had lower peroxide index in 2001, but values were not statistically different in the other years. The concentrations of phenols, o-diphenols, tocopherols, the antioxidant capacity and the volatile compounds showed differences in some years and no difference, or opposite differences, in others. Sensory analysis showed only slight differences in few aromatic notes. Our results showed that organic versus conventional cultivation did not affect consistently the quality of the high quality EVOO considered in this study, at least in the measured parameters. Genotype and year-to-year changes in climate, instead, had more marked effects.     

Chemometric Studies on zNose™ and Machine Vision Technologies for Discrimination of Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oils

The aim of this study was to classify Turkish commercial extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) samples according to geographical origins by using surface acoustic wave sensing electronic nose (zNose?) and machine vision system (MVS) analyses in combination with chemometric approaches. EVOO samples obtained from north and south Aegean region were used in the study. The data analyses were performed with principal component analysis class models, partial least squares‐discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Based on the zNose? analysis, it was found that EVOO aroma profiles could be discriminated successfully according to geographical origin of the samples with the aid of the PLS‐DA method. Color analysis was conducted as an additional sensory quality parameter that is preferred by the consumers. The results of HCA and PLS‐DA methods demonstrated that color measurement alone was not an effective discriminative factor for classification of EVOO. However, PLS‐DA and HCA methods provided clear differentiation among the EVOO samples in terms of electronic nose and color measurements. This study is significant from the point of evaluating the potential of zNose? in combination with MVS as a rapid method for the classification of geographically different EVOO produced in industry.     

Novel,Rapid Identification,and Quantification of Adulterants in Extra Virgin Olive Oil Using Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics

A new, rapid Fourier transform near infrared (FT‐NIR) spectroscopic procedure is described to screen for the authenticity of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) and to determine the kind and amount of an adulterant in EVOO. To screen EVOO, a partial least squares (PLS1) calibration model was developed to estimate a newly created FT‐NIR index based mainly on the relative intensities of two unique carbonyl overtone absorptions in the FT‐NIR spectra of EVOO and other mixtures attributed to volatile (5280 cm^?1) and non‐volatile (5180 cm^?1) components. Spectra were also used to predict the fatty acid (FA) composition of EVOO or samples spiked with an adulterant using previously developed PLS1 calibration models. Some adulterated mixtures could be identified provided the FA profile was sufficiently different from those of EVOO. To identify the type and determine the quantity of an adulterant, gravimetric mixtures were prepared by spiking EVOO with different concentrations of each adulterant. Based on FT‐NIR spectra, four PLS1 calibration models were developed for four specific groups of adulterants, each with a characteristic FA composition. Using these different PLS1 calibration models for prediction, plots of predicted vs. gravimetric concentrations of an adulterant in EVOO yielded linear regression functions with four unique sets of slopes, one for each group of adulterants. Four corresponding slope rules were defined that allowed for the determination of the nature and concentration of an adulterant in EVOO products by applying these four calibration models. The standard addition technique was used for confirmation.     

Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Monovarietal Olive Oils Produced in Argentina

Virgin olive oil has high levels of phenolic compounds that are highly bioavailable; these compounds are receiving considerable attention for their antioxidant activity, closely related to the prevention of non‐communicable chronic diseases. The aim of this work was to characterize the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of monovarietal olive oils cvs. Arauco, Arbequina, Farga and Empeltre produced in Argentina. This study focused on the relationship between the single molecules or classes of molecules quantified by SPE‐CZE, the corresponding Folin‐Ciocalteu results, and antioxidant capacity using three different tests. Fifteen compounds were simultaneously determined: tyrosol, vinylphenol, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, rutin, catechin, naringenin, cinnamic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, luteolin, apigenin, vanillin acid, quercetin, and caffeic acid. The phenolic contents of the monovarietal olive oils show significant differences between different varieties (p < 0.05), with positive and significant Pearson's correlation found between Folin–Ciocalteu and CZE. Besides, the correlation between the content of total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity was high for all the antioxidant assays performed. When analyzing the correlation coefficients of the different families of phenolic compounds studied, simple phenols and cinnamic acid derivatives show a higher correlation with antioxidant capacity. Thus, findings obtained in this study demonstrated that Arauco olive oil, autochthonous for Argentina, possesses the highest antioxidant/free‐radical scavenging properties, which are very likely due to the presence of high contents of phenolic compounds.     

Effect of Light Exposure on the Quality and Phenol Content of Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oil during 12-Month Storage

Storage conditions influence the maximum time for which the composition and sensory characteristics of olive oils can be guaranteed. The purpose of this research was to study the quality and phenol content of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) after storage for 1 year in different types of containers under darkness or light. Three Spanish cultivars with quantitatively different phenol contents were selected for the study. Storage under light conditions impaired the physicochemical and sensorial properties of the three cultivars, and reduced total phenolics, but there was an increase in hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol concentrations. It also markedly decreased their total phenolic content, especially when kept in polyethylene containers exposed to light, with reductions ranging from 4.28% for vanillic acid in Picual oils stored in dark glass containers under dark conditions to 97.82% for ferulic acid in Arbequina oils stored in polyethylene containers under light conditions. There was a reduced concentration of flavonoid and lignan concentrations after 1 year of storage, with the greatest decrease (98.01% of initial content) being observed for in the flavonoid apigenin. These results indicate that EVOO should be stored in dark glass containers under dark conditions for the optimal preservation of its quality and phenol content.     

The Effect of Harvesting Time on Olive Fruits and Oils Quality Parameters of Tortiglione and Dritta Olive Cultivars

Despite the fact that Italy holds the most important olives heritage in the world, with about 800 cultivars, most of them are still underestimated, in particular those from Abruzzo, a region located in the center of the peninsula. The aim of this work is to study the changes in quality parameters of olive fruits and related oils of two autochthonous Abruzzo olive cultivars, Tortiglione and Dritta during ripening (from September to November 2017). Both cultivar and ripening time affect the chemical parameters of olive fruits. Results highlight an increasing trend of the oil content with final values, based on fresh matter, of 38.7 ± 0.3% and 38.1 ± 0.9% for Tortiglione and Dritta, respectively. Olive oils chemical composition is also affected by ripening time and cultivar, with Tortiglione oils resulting generally richer than Dritta oils; on the first sampling time (30th of October) values for total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and chlorophylls are 803.8 ± 68.2 mg gallic acid equivalent kg⁻¹, 2.7 ± 0.5 mmol trolox equivalent kg⁻¹, and 30.8 ± 1.6 mg pheophytin a kg⁻¹, respectively. Tocopherols seem to be more affected by ripening time than by cultivar, in particular for Dritta. Practical Application : The results on Abruzzo minor olive cultivars indicate that olive fruits and olive oil composition are strongly influenced by both cultivar and ripening time, giving rational indications about the optimal cultivar specific harvesting time and opening interesting opportunities for olive oil producers in a perspective of sustainable production to obtain high quality fruits and oils. The research provides detailed information about Tortiglione and Dritta olive cultivar, useful in the global context of revaluation of Italian minor olive varieties.     

Biochemical Characterization of Turkish Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Six Different Olive Varieties of Identical Growing Conditions

Extra virgin olive oils were extracted from six different major olive cultivars (Gemlik, Ayvalik, Domat, Akhisar, Memecik, Arbequina) cultivated in the Aegean region of Turkey. Fatty acid, sterol and tocopherol compositions were analyzed and the results were compared by multivariate statistical analysis. Olive samples were collected from the same orchard in order to limit the contribution of parameters such as climate, soil quality and agricultural practices to the total variance of chemical composition of olive oils. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that cultivars can be clearly distinguished on the basis of fatty acid and sterol composition. It is of interest to note that palmitoleic acid content of Arbequina, a Spanish cultivar, is significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the local Turkish cultivars in question and it is the only olive sample whose palmitoleic acid concentration is higher than that of the stearic acid concentration, exhibiting a divergent composition from the local Turkish cultivars. β‐Sitosterol and Δ5‐avenasterol contents of the oils are significantly correlated (r = ?0.989, p < 0.05) and this results in a discriminative axis on the PCA loading plot. Tocopherol composition was relatively insufficient in discriminating the olive varieties. Regarding tocopherol compositions Gemlik cultivar is distinguished from other cultivars with its γ‐tocopherol content, which is in average two times higher than that of other cultivars. The result of the present compositional study provides important data which can be used for olive oil authenticity studies in Turkey.     

Changes in Quality Indices,Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Flavored Olive Oils during Storage

The chemical characteristics, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of olive oils flavored with garlic, lemon, oregano, hot pepper, and rosemary were evaluated during 9 months of storage. At the end of the storage period, the unflavored and the garlic-flavored oils maintained their chemical parameters within the limits fixed for extra-virgin olive oils. After 9 months of storage, a noticeable decrease in phenolic content was observed in all the oils. The highest (35.0 ± 3.9 mg/kg oil) and the lowest (6.3 ± 0.4 mg/kg) phenolic contents were detected in the unflavored and garlic-flavored oils, respectively. Compounds such as 3,4-DHPEA-EDA (3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyl 4-formyl-3-formylmethyl-4-hexenoate, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol) and p-HPEA-EDA (dialdehydic form of the decarboxymethyl elenolic acid linked to tyrosol) were the most abundant in both unflavored and lemon-flavored oils up till 6 months of storage. At the end of the storage period, increases in 3,4-DHPEA (hydroxytyrosol) and p-HPEA (tyrosol) were measured in almost all the oils. During storage, the antioxidant activity coefficients of the phenolic extracts, calculated according to the β-carotene bleaching assay, significantly decreased and, after 9 months, were in a decreasing order: rosemary (51.3 ± 4.2), hot pepper, lemon, oregano, unflavored, and garlic (8.5 ± 0.7).     

Detection of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Adulteration With Edible Oils Using Front‐Face Fluorescence and Visible Spectroscopies

Synchronous front‐face fluorescence and visible spectroscopies are utilized for the simple, rapid, and nondestructive quantification of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) adulteration with corn, soybean, and sunflower oils. For each adulterant, 42 adulterated EVOO samples in the adulterant amount in the range 1.0–50 g/100 g were prepared. The partial‐least‐squares regression was executed for quantification. Both full (leave‐one‐out) cross‐validation and external validation were performed to evaluate the predictive ability. The plots of observed vs. predicted values exhibit high linearity. The coefficient of determination (R²) values are larger than 0.99. The root mean square errors of both cross‐validation and prediction are no more than 2%. The detection limits for the three seed oils using fluorescence and visible spectroscopies are in the range of 1.5–2.2% and 1.8–2.4%, respectively. The merit of this method is that both the front‐face fluorescence and visible spectroscopies are recorded toward neat oils, avoiding any sample pretreatment including dilution.     

First Application of Newly Developed FT-NIR Spectroscopic Methodology to Predict Authenticity of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Retail Products in the USA

Economically motivated adulteration (EMA) of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) has been a worldwide problem and a concern for government regulators for a long time. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is mandated to protect the US public against intentional adulteration of foods and has jurisdiction over deceptive label declarations. To detect EMA of olive oil and address food safety vulnerabilities, we used a previously developed rapid screening methodology to authenticate EVOO. For the first time, a recently developed FT-NIR spectroscopic methodology in conjunction with partial least squares analysis was applied to commercial products labeled EVOO purchased in College Park, MD, USA to rapidly predict whether they are authentic, potentially mixed with refined olive oil (RO) or other vegetable oil(s), or are of lower quality. Of the 88 commercial products labeled EVOO that were assessed according to published specified ranges, 33 (37.5%) satisfied the three published FT-NIR requirements identified for authentic EVOO products which included the purity test. This test was based on limits established for the contents of three potential adulterants, oils high in linoleic acid (OH-LNA), oils high in oleic acid (OH-OLA), palm olein (PO), and/or RO. The remaining 55 samples (62.5%) did not meet one or more of the criteria established for authentic EVOO. The breakdown of the 55 products was EVOO potentially mixed with OH-LNA (25.5%), OH-OLA (10.9%), PO (5.4%), RO (25.5%), or a combination of any of these four (32.7%). If assessments had been based strictly on whether the fatty acid composition was within the established ranges set by the International Olive Council (IOC), less than 10% would have been identified as non-EVOO. These findings are significant not only because they were consistent with previously published data based on the results of two sensory panels that were accredited by IOC but more importantly each measurement/analysis was accomplished in less than 5 min.     

Oleocanthal,a Phenolic Derived from Virgin Olive Oil: A Review of the Beneficial Effects on Inflammatory Disease

Virgin olive oil (VOO) is credited as being one of many healthful components of the Mediterranean diet. Mediterranean populations experience reduced incidence of chronic inflammatory disease states and VOO is readily consumed as part of an everyday dietary pattern. A phenolic compound contained in VOO, named oleocanthal, shares unique perceptual and anti-inflammatory characteristics with Ibuprofen. Over recent years oleocanthal has become a compound of interest in the search for naturally occurring compounds with pharmacological qualities. Subsequent to its discovery and identification, oleocanthal has been reported to exhibit various modes of action in reducing inflammatory related disease, including joint-degenerative disease, neuro-degenerative disease and specific cancers. Therefore, it is postulated that long term consumption of VOO containing oleocanthal may contribute to the health benefits associated with the Mediterranean dietary pattern. The following paper summarizes the current literature on oleocanthal, in terms of its sensory and pharmacological properties, and also discusses the beneficial, health promoting activities of oleocanthal, in the context of the molecular mechanisms within various models of disease.     

Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Monovarietal and Commercial Portuguese Olive Oils

Olive oil composition has been investigated using chemical approaches, since the composition has a direct impact on its quality and safety and it may be used for certification purposes. In this paper, eleven monovarietal and twelve commercial Portuguese olive oils were analyzed to determine spectrophotometrically their total polyphenol content, ortho-diphenols and antioxidant activity. The phenolic profiles of these olive oils were also studied by high performance liquid chromatography. The lowest phenolic content and antioxidant activity were observed for monovarietal olive oils, however, among these group, ‘Cobrançosa’ and ‘Redondil’ cultivars showed the highest values of these two chemical parameters. In commercial olive oils, the concentration of polyphenols, determined according to the Folin–Ciocalteu method, and the antioxidant activity (ABTS method) ranged from 97.37 ± 1.10 to 219.7 ± 1.50 mg GAE/kg of oil and from 387.2 ± 20.00 to 997.5 ± 30.90 µmol Trolox/kg, respectively. The study of the phenolic profile demonstrated that the highest concentrations of the most abundant compounds in olive oil (tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein) are present in commercial olive oils. The correlation coefficient between total phenolics and antioxidant activity was statistically significant (r = 0.95, p < 0.0001). The same was observed for ortho-diphenol content and antioxidant capacity (r = 0.94, p < 0.0001).     

Characterization of the Volatile, Phenolic and Antioxidant Properties of Monovarietal Olive Oil Obtained from cv. Halhali

Volatile and phenolic compositions of olive oil obtained from the cv. Halhali were investigated in the present study. Fruits were harvested at the optimum maturity stage of ripeness and immediately processed with cold press. Simultaneous distillation/extraction (SDE) with dichloromethane was applied to the analysis of volatile compounds of olive oil. Sensory analysis showed that the aromatic extract obtained by SDE was representative of olive oil odour. In the olive oil, 40 and 44 volatile components were identified and quantified in 2010 and 2012 year, respectively. The total amount of volatile compounds was 18,007 and 19,178 μg kg^?1 for 2010 and 2012, respectively. Of these, 11 compounds in the 2010 and 12 in the 2012 harvest presented odour activity values (OAVs) greater than 1, with 1‐octen‐3‐ol, ethyl‐3‐methyl butanoate, (E)‐2‐heptenal and (E,Z)‐2,4‐decadienal being those with the highest OAVs in olive oil. The high‐performance liquid chromatographic method coupled with diode‐array detection was used to identify and quantify phenolic compounds of the olive oil. A total of 14 phenolic compounds in both years were identified and quantified in olive oil. The major phenolic compounds that were identified in both years were hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, elenolic acid, luteolin, and apigenin. Antioxidant activity of olive oil was measured using the DPPH and ABTS methods.     

Quality Characteristics and Antioxidant Activity during Fruit Ripening of Three Monovarietal Olive Oils Cultivated in China

Numerous olive cultivars have been planted in China, mainly to reap the health benefits of olive oil. This study characterized the quality and investigated the antioxidant activity of olives harvested at three different maturation stages, defined by the skin color of the olives (black, purple, and green), from three newly introduced olive cultivars (Barnea, Manzanilla and Kadesh) grown in China. The oleic acid content of olives from all three olive cultivars decreased significantly during maturation, whereas the linoleic acid content increased. The highest content of total phenols was recorded in Manzanilla cultivar (284.94 mg kg⁻¹), whereas the lowest was recorded in Kadesh cultivar (134.82 mg kg⁻¹). In addition, a total of 13 individual phenolic compounds were obtained, and their concentrations were significantly influenced by the cultivar and maturity (P < 0.05). Secoiridoids were the main group of phenolic compounds, but their quantity decreased during maturation. The content of secoiridoids in the Manzanilla cultivar was significantly higher than that of the Barnea and Kadesh cultivars. In general, a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the values of antioxidant activity and the contents of pigments, α-tocopherol, and squalene occurred during maturation. Furthermore, principal component analysis was used to classify the nine olive oil samples according to the cultivar and ripening degree.