The chemical composition of finished table olive products is influenced by the olive variety and the processing method used to debitter or cure table olives. Herein, a rapid ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry method, using dynamic multiple reaction monitoring, was developed for the quantitation of 12 predominant phenolic and secoiridoid compounds in olive fruit, including hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol-4-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, rutin, verbascoside, oleoside-11-methyl ester, 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone, phenolic acids (chlorogenic and o-coumaric acids), oleuropein aglycone, and ligstroside aglycone. Levels of these compounds were measured in fresh and California-style black ripe processed Manzanilla olives and two dry salt-cured olive varieties (Mission from California and Throuba Thassos from Greece). Results indicate that the variety and debittering processing method have strong impact on the profile of phenolic and secoiridoid compounds in table olives. The dry salt-cured olives contained higher amounts of most compounds studied, especially oleuropein (1459.5 ± 100.1 μg/g), whereas California-style black ripe olives had a significant reduction or loss of these bioactive compounds (e.g., oleuropein level at 36.7 ± 3.1 μg/g).

Oleuropein, ligstroside, and related hydrolysis products are key contributors to olive bitterness, and several of these phenolics are implicated in the prevention of lifestyle age-related diseases. While table olive processing methods are designed to reduce oleuropein, the impact of processing on ligstroside and related hydrolysis products (e.g., oleacein, oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol glucoside, ligstroside aglycone, and oleuropein aglycone) is relatively unknown. Herein, levels of these compounds were measured in Spanish-style green (SP), Californian-style black ripe (CA), and Greek-style natural fermentation (GK) olives using rapid ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). GK olives had the highest concentration of all compounds measured, with the exception of oleocanthal, which was highest in SP olives (0.081 mg kg^-1 wet weight (w.wt)). CA olives had the lowest levels of most compounds measured, including ligstroside (0.115 mg kg^-1 w.wt) and oleuropein (0.974 mg kg^-1 w.wt). Hydroxytyrosol was the predominate compound in all three styles of commercial olives, with similar concentrations observed for GK and SP olives (134.329 and 133.685 mg kg^-1 w.wt, respectively) and significantly lower concentrations observed for CA olives (19.981 mg kg^-1 w.wt).

The phenolic profiles of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) may influence their cardiovascular benefits. In a randomized crossover of acute EVOO intake on platelet function, participants (n=9) consumed 40 mL of EVOO weekly. EVOOs were matched for total phenolic content and were either tyrosol-poor with 1:2 oleacein/oleocanthal (D2_i0.5), or 2:1 oleacein/oleocanthal (D2_i2), or predominantly tyrosol (D2_i0). Ibuprofen provided a platelet inhibition control. Blood was collected pre- and 2 hr post-EVOO intake. D2_i0.5 and D2_i2 reduced 1 µg/mL collagen-stimulated maximum platelet aggregation (Pmax), with effects best correlated to oleocanthal intake (R=0.56, P=0.002). Total phenolic intake was independently correlated to eicosanoid production inhibition, suggesting that cyclooxygenase blockade was not responsible for the Pmax inhibition. Five participants exhibited >25% ΔPmax declines with D2_i0.5 and D2_i2 intake and plasma metabolomic profiles discriminated subjects by oil responsivity. Platelet responses to acute EVOO intake are associated with oil phenolic composition and may be influenced by diet.