Toward the Prediction of the Total Phenolic Content of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) – A Spectrophotometric Method Combined with Multivariate Statistical Analysis

EVOO is widely considered a superior edible oil due to its unique taste and aroma. Its consumption is associated with several health benefits, many of which are attributed to its phenolic compounds. This work involved the analysis of 203 EVOO samples using the official method recommended by the IOC (COI/T.20/Doc. No 29/Rev.1 2017) to determine their polyphenolic content. In addition, ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectroscopy has been applied to the same EVOO samples in combination with PLS regression to assess the polyphenolic content. This work demonstrates that ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy offers an efficient and cost-effective alternative.