Rapid evaluation of phenolic component profile and analysis of oleuropein aglycon in olive oil by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (APCI-MS)

Epidemiological studies have linked the Mediterranean diet with a low incid ence of cardiovascular diseases. Olive oil, the major fat component of this diet, is characterized by antioxidant properties related to their content in catecholic components, particularly oleuropein aglycon. Therefore quanti fication of these components in edible oils may be important in determining the quality, and consequently its commercial value. The present method all ows us to obtain the profile of the the phenolic components of the oil from the methanolic extracts of the crude olive oil. In particular tyrosol, hyd roxytyrosol, elenolic acid, deacetoxyligstroside and deacetoxyoleuropein ag lycons, ligstroside and oleuropein aglycons, and 10-hydroxy-oleuropein are clearly identified by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectro metry (APCI-MS). Moreover, oleuropein and its isoiners present in the oil a re quantified by APCI-MS/MS analysis of the extracts without preliminary se paration from other phenolic compounds.