Context

The market for Arbequina olive oils has multiplied more than tenfold in the last 25 years.Now the vast majority of these oils are no longer produced in Catalonia but elsewhere. Therefore, some differentiation within the global Arbequina oil market is becoming necessary.
The polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oils are responsible for its sensory attributes of bitterness, tang and astringency. These compounds also vary considerably depending on the variety, level of ripening, cultivation techniques,  and the extraction and storage  systems used. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) endorses a health claim that olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. The claim may be used only for olive oil containing at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g of olive oil.
Arbequina oils have been highly valued for their aromatic richness, and in many areas where they are produced, they have a notable smoothness due to their low phenolic content. This project consists on seeking this distinction based on the area of origin: the  effect of the edaphic, climatic and handling conditions of the Arbequina variety on the characteristics of its extra virgin oils. In specific terms, the increase in polyphenols in the Arbequina olive is very important for giving the variety this differential vector, and enhancing its links with its Catalonia and/or Lleida origin.
The project covers various scenarios for the management of olive trees and the processes involved in oil milling and conservation systems in order to find their effect on the content of polyphenols  and to ascertain the most important factors in obtaining Arbequina oil with high levels of polyphenols that could use the EFSA health claim.