Pulsed electric field increases the extraction yield of extra virgin olive oil without loss of its biological properties

Roberto Martínez-Beamonte; Marina Ripalda; Tania Herrero-Continente; Cristina Barranquero; Alberto Dávalos; María Carmen López de Las Hazas; Ignacio Álvarez-Lanzarote; Ana Cristina Sánchez-Gimeno; Javier Raso; Carmen Arnal; Joaquín C Surra; Jesús Osada; María A Navarro

doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1065543

Pulsed electric field increases the extraction yield of extra virgin olive oil without loss of its biological properties

Front Nutr. 2022 Nov 22:9:1065543. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1065543. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Roberto Martínez-Beamonte^{1

2

3}, Marina Ripalda¹, Tania Herrero-Continente¹, Cristina Barranquero^{1

2

3}, Alberto Dávalos⁴, María Carmen López de Las Hazas⁴, Ignacio Álvarez-Lanzarote^{2

5}, Ana Cristina Sánchez-Gimeno^{2

5}, Javier Raso^{2

5}, Carmen Arnal^{2

6}, Joaquín C Surra^{2

3

7}, Jesús Osada^{1

2

3}, María A Navarro^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
² Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón, CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
³ CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
⁴ Laboratory of Epigenetics of Lipid Metabolism, Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados (IMDEA)-Alimentación, CEI UAM + CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
⁵ Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
⁶ Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
⁷ Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Huesca, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.

Abstract

Introduction: Pulsed electric field (PEF) has been used for improving extraction of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). However, the biological changes induced by the consumption of pulsed electric field-obtained extra virgin olive oil (PEFEVOO) have not been studied yet.

Materials and methods: EVOO oils from Empeltre variety were prepared by standard (STD) cold pressure method involving crushing of the olives, malaxation and decanting and by this procedure including an additional step of PEF treatment. Chemical analyses of EVOO oils were done. Male and female Apoe-deficient mice received diets differing in both EVOOs for 12 weeks, and their plasma, aortas and livers were analyzed.

Results: PEF application resulted in a 17% increase in the oil yield and minimal changes in chemical composition regarding phytosterols, phenolic compounds and microRNA. Only in females mice consuming PEF EVOO, a decreased plasma total cholesterol was observed, without significant changes in atherosclerosis and liver steatosis.

Conclusion: PEF technology applied to EVOO extraction maintains the EVOO quality and improves the oil yield. The equivalent biological effects in atherosclerosis and fatty liver disease of PEF-obtained EVOO further support its safe use as a food.

Keywords: Empeltre; atherosclerosis; extra virgin olive oil; hepatic steatosis; microRNA; phytosterols; pulsed electric field.