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Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), appraised for its healthy properties, represents an important element for the economy of several countries of the Mediterranean area, including Italy. Our study aimed to evaluate some biochemical characteristics (polyphenols and volatile compounds) as well as the antioxidant activity of three EVOOs obtained from the varieties Ravece, Ogliarola, and Ruvea antica, grown in the same field of an Irpinian village, Montella, in the Campania region, Southern Italy. Extra virgin olive oil Ruvea antica contained the greatest amount of total polyphenols and showed the highest antioxidant activity. Principal component analysis of the aromatic profiles indicated that the three EVOOs could be easily discriminated according to the cultivar. 1‐Hexanol, 2‐hexen‐1‐ol, 3‐pentanone, representing the most abundant volatiles of the EVOO Ruvea antica, and 2‐hexenal, which resulted the main component in EVOOs Ogliarola and Ravece, could be considered as markers to discriminate these three EVOOs, according to the ReliefF feature selection algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oils obtained from inflorescences of three Origanum vulgare L. ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietswaart samples, growing wild in different locations in Campania (Southern Italy), were analysed. Three chemotypes were found: the first, with a prevalence of carvacrol/thymol; the second, characterized by the prevalence of thymol/α-terpineol; the third, featuring a prevalence of linalyl acetate and linalool. This chemical study attempts to provide a contribution in shedding light on the relationship between chemical composition and biotypes and/or chemotypes in Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum. The essential oils were also evaluated for their antibacterial activity against 10 selected microorganisms. The data obtained contribute to the future view to use the essential oils as natural preservatives for food products, due to their positive effect on their safety and shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) represents an important element for the economy of Southern Italy. Therefore, EVOO is recognized as a food with noticeable biological effects. Our study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity exhibited by the polyphenolic extracts of EVOOs, obtained from three varieties of Olea europea L. (Ruvea antica, Ravece, and Ogliarola) cultivated in the village of Montella, Avellino, Southern Italy. The study evaluated the inhibiting effect of the extracts against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Statistical analysis, used to relate values of antimicrobial activity to total polyphenols and phenolic composition, revealed a different behavior among the three EVOO polyphenol extracts. The method applied could be useful to predict the influence of singular metabolites on the antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]