Healthful Olive Extracts May Help Lower Cancer and Other Disease Risks
Olive oil is not just for Mediterranean diets and offers more than a deliciously aromatic dressing for your salad. This rich extract from the fruit of olive trees is 50 times less likely to oxidize than other plant oils. It is known as one of the healthiest plant oils, especially its unrefined, virgin form.
Among the oil’s health benefits are improved heart health, blood pressure, mood, and brain function. It may also help manage body fat ratio and cholesterol levels and protect against chronic diseases and stroke with its high vitamin E, mono-unsaturated fat content, and anti-inflammatory qualities. In addition, olive oil contains over 30 polyphenols – beneficial plant defense chemicals – including hydroxytyrosol.
What Makes Hydroxytyrosol Unique and Important?
Hydroxytyrosol is the only polyphenol able to cross the blood-brain barrier. This quality allows the substance to scavenge free radicals in the nervous system more efficiently. Polyphenol has the highest known oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) among natural antioxidants, making it robust against concerns such as atherosclerosis, macular degeneration, melanoma, premature aging, and more. Moreover, users may expect potential benefits even at low doses.
The chemical is also thought to promote cell apoptosis and inhibit the growth of various cancer types. Although the mechanism of action is poorly understood, it may inhibit cancer stem cells. In addition, hydroxytyrosol may help reduce serum thromboxane B2 levels, offering protective antithrombotic activity and helping to reduce platelet aggregation.
The molecules present numerous opportunities for food and beverage manufacturers. It’s health-promoting, food-protective, and highly temperature-resistant – ideal for diverse food matrix applications.
In addition, the component is ideal for ingredient upcycling. This practice uses ingredients “that otherwise would not have been consumed by humans, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive environmental impact1.” The food and beverage, nutraceutical, and animal health industries use these products.
Eco-Friendly Upcycling With Genosa
Spain’s Alvinesa Natural Ingredients – who transform and upcycle wine industry coproducts, including polyphenols – has recently expanded its portfolio. They are now exploring the development of olive fruit extracts following their acquisition of natural hydroxytyrosol producer Genosa. Together, the businesses will research and introduce “easy to incorporate” and environmentally responsible olive-based food matrices for the food and beverage industry.
Genosa has over a decade of experience producing hydroxytyrosol from olive fruit solid extracts. The company was the first to offer high-purity olive-fruit essences, adding value to Alvinesa’s respected and sustainable Vintera brand. The company uses only mechanical extraction methods, without solvents, upholding strict environmental and quality standards.
So, with its wealth of wellness benefits, flavor, and a natural substitute for sulfite, sodium nitrate, BHT, and BHA, why not innovate using hydroxytyrosol and other pure plant extracts? Advanced Biotech’s extensive flavor and odor ingredients range is 100% natural, sustainably sourced and produced, and EU-certified.
Add Eco-Friendly Flavor and Aroma to Olive Fruit Nutrients
Advanced Biotech sources our raw materials at peak flavor, appropriate to their season, and uses extraction and production techniques that maximize content and purity. So, browse our collection of pyrazines, thiazoles, aromatics, distillates, and other oil, liquid, powder, and solid extracts, and order your ingredient concentrates today. Contact us to discuss your needs or to request samples.