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Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour. has been cultivated in China for over 2500 years. Due to the unique and strong fragrance, O. fragrans flowers have long been added into food, tea, and beverages. Not only the O. fragrans flowers, but also leaves, barks, roots, and fruits possess some beneficial effects such as relieving pain and alleviating cough in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Modern pharmacological researches demonstrated that O. fragrans possesses a broad spectrum of biological activities including antioxidant, neuroprotective, antidiabetic and anticancer activities etc. A large number of phytochemicals identified in O. fragrans are responsible for its health promoting and disease preventing effects. The components of volatile compounds in O. fragrans are complex but the content is less abundant. The present review mainly focuses on the bioactive ingredients identified from O. fragrans, the therapeutic effects of O. fragrans and its applications in food, cosmetics and medicines.

This study was aimed to classify the varieties and predict the antioxidant activity of Osmanthus fragrans flowers by UPLC-PDA/QTOF-MS and multivariable analysis. The PLS-DA model successfully classified the four varieties based on both the 21 identified compounds and the effective compounds. For the antioxidant activity prediction, PLS performed well to predict the antioxidant activity of O. fragrans flowers. Furthermore, acteoside, suspensaside A, ligustroside, forsythoside A, phillygenin and caffeic acid were selected as effective compounds by UVE-SPA for prediction. On the basis of effective compounds, PLS, MLR and PCR were applied to establish the calibration models. The UVE-SPA-MLR model was the optimal method to predict the antioxidant activity values with Rp of 0.9200, 0.9010 and 0.8905 for DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays, respectively. The results revealed that the UPLC-PDA/QTOF-MS combined with chemometrics could be a new method to classify the varieties and predict the antioxidant activity of O. fragrans flowers.

Triterpenic acids possess rich biological activity. Due to slight differences in structure and polarity, the simultaneous determination of isomeric triterpenic acids is challenging. In the present work, a simple and effective approach to chromatographic separation of such compounds based on conventional C18 stationary phase with gradient elution was developed, which allowed the simultaneous separation of eleven analytes including euscaphic, arjunic, tormentic, arjunolic, asiatic, pomolic, maslinic, corosolic, oleanolic, ursolic and 2-Epi tormentic acid (internal standard). This approach with mass spectrometric detection and ultrasonic extraction was fast, sensitive and accurate for analyzing isomeric triterpenic acids in O. fragrans fruits with a toal duration of the analytical cycle (including pretreatment) within one hour. The LODs lie in ranges of 0.8–12 ng/mL (30 ng/mL for asiatic and corosolic acid). The developed method was validated and successfully applied in ten batches of O. fragrans fruits, which could reflect the detail content difference of triterpenic acid components.

A distinctive methodology is developed to trace out the mixing into olive oil, which is marketed every year with 20% or more fraudulent oils. Such adulteration has been difficult to differentiate using fatty acid analysis and other available current techniques, as chemically fatty acids are same regardless of their source. The total genomic DNA isolated from olive oil, contaminated with canola and sunflower was analysed for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variation in noncoding spacer region between psbA-trnH and partial coding region of matK of plastid genome. These DNA regions were amplified by PCR using specific primers and resulting DNA sequences were matched to the predetermined consensus DNA barcode sequences of canola and sunflower for discerning the contaminations in olive oil samples. The matching of an adulterant DNA sequence with their respective DNA barcode revealed the mixing of canola and sunflower oil into olive is simpler way and the combined approach of molecular biology and bioinformatics technology can be used as an inexpensive method for ensuring the purity of olive. This plastid based molecular DNA technology can be used for rapid detection of adulteration easily up to 5% in olive oil.

A new method of ultrasound-assisted solid liquid extraction (USLE) of olive fruit phenols is described. Phenolics were extracted using high intensity probe ultrasonication and analysed by HPLC-DAD-FLD-MS/MS. Four USLE parameters – sonication time (4, 15, 20, 30 min), temperature (25, 45 °C), solvent composition (80%, 100% methanol) and extraction steps (1–5) were studied and optimised on the basis of nine major olive fruit phenols. A three-step extraction of 20 min with pure methanol (25 mL) at 45 °C was needed for sufficient phenol recoveries (94.1–98.7%) from 1.5 g of freeze-dried olive fruits. The proposed USLE method was more efficient in comparison to US bath and agitation, with up to 33% and 80% enhancement in the case of oleuropein, respectively. In addition, the overall method provided high selectivity, precision and sensitivity with LODs/LOQs ranging from 0.66–4.92 μg g −1 and 2.00–14.77 μg g −1 of olives DW, respectively.

New phenolic compounds from Olea europaea , identified by high performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, are suitable markers for differentiation between different varieties of olive trees cultivated in the same geographical area (Rende, Italy). Five cultivars (Carolea, Cassanese, Coratina, Nocellara and Leccino) were considered for the discrimination. Samples of Carolea, cultivated in three different geographical zones (Rende, Mirto and Spoleto, Italy), were as well checked to evaluate possible differences. Three supervised pattern recognition procedures, linear discriminant analysis (LDA), soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) and K -nearest neighbours ( K NN) were used to classify samples in five groups corresponding to the five cultivars and in three groups corresponding to the three areas of production. The results show that K NN provides a model unable to predict a proper assignment of the cultivar, at least for those olive trees considered in this work, whereas LDA and SIMCA allow the achievement of good percentage of prediction for the cultivars as well as cultivation zones.

Five triterpene alcohols and four 4-monomethylsterols were identified by GC–MS during the ripening of Picholine olive. The quantitative characterisation of these compounds was performed using GC–FID. The results showed that the maximum level of total triterpene alcohols (263.68 mg/100 g oil) was reached at 26th week after the flowering date (WAF) of olive; whilst the highest level of total 4-monomethylsterols (234 mg/100 g oil) was attained at 24th WAF of fruit. The percentage of these two classes represented 20–33% of total phytosterols during olive maturity. 24-Methylene cycloartenol (12–207 mg/100 g oil) and cycloartenol (27–198 mg/100 g oil) were the predominant triterpene alcohols during the ripening of Picholine olive; whereas citrostadienol (30–161 mg/100 g oil) and cycloeucalenol (11–74 mg/100 g oil) were the main 4-monomethylsterol compounds followed by obtusifoliol and gramisterol. β-Amyrin, δ-amyrin and traroxerol were less present in Picholine olive and they accounted for 14% of total triterpene alcohols at complete maturity of fruit. The level of these methylsterols was overwhelmed by the amount of 4-desmethylsterols at each stage of Picholine olive maturity.

Olive trees ( Olea europaea L. Cv . Cobrancosa) from the northeast of Portugal were sprayed with three different copper formulations [bordeaux mixture (copper sulphate + calcium hydroxide − 20% Cu), copper hydroxide (40% Cu) and copper oxychloride (50% Cu)] to control olive fungal diseases. The residues of copper in olive leaves, harvested at different times, were evaluated by atomic absorption spectrometry. At all the collection times, treated olive leaves had significantly higher copper contents, compared to the control. The different copper amounts in pesticide formulations lowered the leaves contents in total phenols and hence their antioxidant properties. Olive leaves sprayed with copper oxychloride possessed the highest copper levels and the lowest content in phenols, which influenced its antioxidant activity (higher EC 50 values for reducing power, scavenging effect on DPPH radicals and inhibition of erythrocyte hemolysis). Leaves without copper residues proved to be a good natural source of antioxidants, giving values comparable to the reference compounds.

Ninety-two black and green table olive samples from the Bursa, Turkey were analyzed. The olives were sampled from 56 brands, four processing methods and three packing types. The concentration of Mg, Cr, Co, Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn, Cd and Pb were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). While the most concentrated element was Mg (125.11 +/- 5.02), Co, (0.09 +/- 0.01) had the lowest concentration in tested olive samples. The levels of the ten metals studied are within safe limits. The data here obtained will be valuable in complementing available food composition data, and estimating dietary intakes of heavy metals in Turkey. The metals Mg, Fe, Zn, Sn and Pb presented significant differences (p < 0.05) in content between two types, hence processing method, brand and packing material must influence their content.

Olives (Olea europaea cv. Coratina) used for oil production were stored for 30 days at three different temperatures and under different atmospheres (ambient temperature, 5 °C with a flux of humidified air, 5 °C with a flux of 3%O2 + 5%CO2). The olives were kept in jars used for fruit storage, each with a capacity for 1.5 kg of olives. Conventional analyses (acidity, peroxide value, specific extinction coefficient at 232 nm and 270 nm) and non conventional (polar compounds) analyses were carried out in order to measure the hydrolytic and oxidative degradation of the oils obtained from the olives. Storage at 5 °C, both under a flow of humidified air and a flow of 3%O2 + 5%CO2, produced oils that maintained their initial chemical qualities until the end of the experimentation; whereas storage of olives at room temperature led to their deterioration after 15 days of storage.

This work reports the results of a study carried out in an intensive monocone orchard of Olea europaea L. cv. Kalamata, a dual purpose (olive oil and table olives) variety, to investigate the influence of different irrigation regimes on productivity and quality of olives and olive oil. Irrigation regimes did not affect the sugar composition of the fruit, while the content of the phenolic compounds varied. In the water stress condition, olive fruit showed an higher cuticular thickness to prevent the loss of water and nutrients. Olive oil composition did not change with irrigation, except for the total phenols, which decreased. A restitution of 66% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was sufficient to achieve good yields, while higher water volumes (100% of ETc) gave little additional yield increases.

The molecular composition of biophenols in olive fruit was investigated in order to experiment with novel procedures for the determination of these microcomponents in fresh and processed table olives. The presence of biophenols in table olives, with recognized antioxidant activity, can be strictly linked to the texture and the organoleptic characteristics of the food product, giving a functional value to this Mediterranean food. Olives from Spain (“Hojiblanca” cv.), Portugal (“Douro” cv.), Greece (“Conservolia” and “Thasos”cv.) and Italy (“Taggiasca” and “Cassanese” cv.) were examined, because the experimental data, checked by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), show molecular composition differences in the tested samples related to the geographic area of analyzed olive fruit cultivars [Bianco, A., & Uccella, N. (2000). Biophenolic components of olives. Food Research International , 33 , 475–485] . Three different protocols were utilized: the first one allows the determination of the biophenolic content present as free and esterified compounds; the second affords the total biophenolic content; the third indicates the biophenols present as glycosides. The biophenolic content, which was previously determined by classic HPLC methods ( Bianco & Uccella, 2000 ), was checked by a simple 1 H-NMR experiment. The comparison between the data obtained from 1 H-NMR with those measured by HPLC, indicates a good agreement and suggests the possibility of employing 1 H-NMR for the rapid determination of biophenolic content in olives and also in other foods.

The aim of this work was to study the influence of the stage of fruit ripening on analytical parameters which determine oil quality during four successive crop seasons, in an attempt to establish an optimum harvesting time for ‘Cornicabra’ olives. The majority of the analytical parameters, i.e. peroxide value, UV absorption at 270 nm, pigments, sensory scores, oleic acid and total sterols, diminished during ripening, whereas free acidity, linoleic acid and Δ-5-avenasterol increased. Oil extraction yield, oxidative stability, natural antioxidants and campesterol showed more complex behaviour. On the basis of the evolution of the analytical parameters studied the best stage of maturity of ‘Cornicabra’ olive fruits for processing seems to be a ripeness index higher than 3.0 and lower than 4.0–4.5. Results indicated that probably less than 25% of commercial ‘Cornicabra’ virgin olive oils were extracted from olives harvested at an optimum ripeness index. It is therefore of crucial recommendation to the industry to bring forward harvesting to further improve the quality of the virgin olive oil produced.

An experimental investigation was carried out on olive fruits of Douro, Hojiblanca, Cassanese, Taggiasca and Thasos cultivars, to assess free sugar and polyol compositions and their changes during ripening and processing. TMS ethers of sugars from olive pulp were analysed by GC and GC‐MS and identification of each sugar component was obtained by comparison of retention times and mass spectra with those of authentic compounds. Quantitation of sugars was performed on mixture whose tautomeric equilibria were stable. Glucose, fructose and galactose were the main sugars found in olive pulp. Appreciable quantities of mannitol were also present. Sucrose and inositol were present in very low concentrations. A significant correlation (r=0.941) between mannitol and oil contents was found. Sugar content decreased from green to cherry and black colour, according to the stage of ripeness of fruits. In processed olive-fruits, sugar contents varied among olive cultivars according to processing conditions. # 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

An experimental investigation was carried out on olive oils of the Ogliarola Salentina and Coratina cultivars to assess the influence of the two different olive grinding techniques and kneading process on the quality of the oils. The experimental data obtained showed that resistance to oxidation, total phenols and phenolic compounds analysed for HPLC were higher in the Coratina oils than in the Ogliarola oils. The use of hammer-crushers plus kneader rather than stone mills plus kneader always produced significant increases in the total phenols. Resistance to oxidation was assessed by the Rancimat method and showed a significant correlation with the amounts of total phenols and of an unidentified substance (peak I) which was conspicuously present amongst the substances evaluated for HPLC.

Leaves from the plant species belonging to the genus Ligustrum are widely used as tea or herbal medicine in Europe, China, and Japan. The antioxidant properties of five Ligustrum species from Taiwan were compared using in vitro antioxidant methods such as DPPH radical scavenging, TEAC, and FRAP assays. Cell-based antioxidant methods were used, including Fe(2+)/ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation on brain homogenate and AAPH-induced erythrocyte haemolysis. The amounts of major phenolic compounds from the Ligustrum species, including phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, and iridoids, were determined by spectrophotometric methods. The results showed that all Ligustrum species exhibited antioxidant, radical-scavenging, anti-haemolytic, and lipid peroxidation-inhibiting activities at different magnitudes of potency. A significant correlation was found between antioxidant activity and the amount of antioxidant components, in particular, total phenolics and phenylpropanoids. Among all Ligustrum species from Taiwan, Ligustrum morrisonense is presented as potential source of natural antioxidants.

An experimental investigation was carried out on Tunisian olive-fruits of Meski , Sayali and Picholine cultivars. α-Tocopherol and fatty acids (FA) contents were analyzed, during both ripening and processing, according to the Spanish style. The relationship between oil, unsaponifiable and α-tocopherol contents was determined only during ripening. A genetic effect on FA composition was observed throughout the sampling periods. The highest oleic acid content was found in Sayali cultivar at green stage (78.5% of total FA). α-Tocopherol was positively correlated with unsaturated FA content ( R = 0.71, p R = 0.984; R = 0.976; R = 0.952, p Picholine , Sayali and Meski , respectively), but it was not correlated with unsaponifiable matter. In processed olive-fruits, the results showed primarily, that processing according to the Spanish style is not restricted to green olive-fruits but can be successfully used in cherry olives with guaranteed quality and nutritional value of processed product ( Meski and Picholine ) related to FA content. Secondly, both α-tocopherol and FA amounts decreased during processing for all cultivars. This decrease was cultivar dependent. It was more pronounced in the black fruit than in the green one for the same cultivar. During fermentation, pH variation showed the same profile in all cultivars. Final pH values at the end of fermentation depend on the concentration of free FA (acidity) in the brine.