High added-value bioactive polyphenols recovered from waste of olive oil production

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is one of the main polyphenols contained in the waste from olive mill; it is among the most powerful antioxidants currently known and has a high commercial value. In the present work, an unusual and unexploited waste was chosen for HT production: the sediment deposited on the bottom of unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOOs). Our preliminary data show that this cheap waste can be considered as a novel source for the extraction of phenolic compounds. The sediment containing the highest amount of HT and OP (HT precursor) will be selected for the subsequent production of HT.