When olive oil sits too long, its natural compounds break down into simpler molecules like tyrosol and 3-hydroxytyrosol, which are also found in other foods.

Scientific Claim

Hydrolytic degradation of secoiridoids in extra virgin olive oil during storage produces tyrosol and 3-hydroxytyrosol as end products, alongside elenolic and decarboxymethyl elenolic acids.

Original Statement

“compounds resulting from hydrolysis of the ester linkage of secoiridoids, i.e., elenolic and decarboxymethyl elenolic acids and tyrosol and 3-hydroxytyrosol”

From study:Insight into the Storage-Related Oxidative/Hydrolytic Degradation of Olive Oil Secoiridoids by Liquid Chromatography and High-Resolution Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design cannot support claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

Based on abstract only - full methodology not available to verify. The claim simply reports identified chemical products, which is a direct, factual observation consistent with the study’s analytical focus.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Insight into the Storage-Related Oxidative/Hydrolytic Degradation of Olive Oil Secoiridoids by Liquid Chromatography and High-Resolution Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry

Cross-Sectional Study

In Vitro

2020 Nov 4

The study found that when olive oil sits for months, some of its natural compounds break down into four specific substances — tyrosol, 3-hydroxytyrosol, elenolic acid, and decarboxymethyl elenolic acid — exactly as the claim says.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Insight into the Storage-Related Oxidative/Hydrolytic Degradation of Olive Oil Secoiridoids by Liquid Chromatography and High-Resolution Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry

Score: 4

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c04925

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