The new biophenol lab method of measuring total phenols will not translate exactly to the old scale of intensity.
Our olive oil supplier, Veronica Foods, has transitioned to measuring the Biophenol profiles instead of the total phenol content. They made this change because the prior method of measuring the total phenol content
“did not tell us anything about the different groups of biophenols. As we know now, some of those biophenols have very specific health and sensory properties (i.e. Oleocanthal, which has important anti-inflammatory action and it is responsible for the pungent feeling on the back of the throat). The total amount of biophenols in this method is determined by adding the individual quantities of each measured biophenol. There are typically more than 20 different biophenols in extra virgin olive oil. The prevalent classes of hydrophilic phenols found in EVOO are phenolic alcohols and acids (i.e. Hydroxytyrosol and vanillic acid), flavonoids (i.e. luteonin), lignans (i.e. pinoresinol) and secoiridoids. Among these substances the last two classes include the most concentrate phenols of EVOO. Secoiridoids, like aglycone derivatives of oleuropein, demethyloleuropein and ligstroside, are present in olive fruit as most abundant EVOO phenolic antioxidants. Several important biological properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive and anti-cancer) and the characteristic pungent and bitter tasty properties have been attributed to EVOO phenols.”
Look for total biophenol measurements on the new Northern Hemisphere oils coming soon – and if you’re interested in seeing a complete biophenol breakdown, please send us an email!