Polyphenols are the phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil responsible for its bitterness and pungency, sensations linked to compounds like oleuropein and oleocanthal. They also act as natural antioxidants, delaying the oxidation of fatty acids, which extends the oil's stability and shelf life.
For consumers, this has a specific implication recognized by European regulations: olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative damage. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 20g of olive oil (approximately one tablespoon), a claim authorized by Regulation (EU) 432/2012.
At PONS, for years we have been making decisions to maximize the properties of polyphenols: agronomic decisions, in the mill, and in the laboratory. Since 2026, we have added a collaboration with the Antioxidant Research Group at the University of Lleida, which analyzes our varieties using UPLC-MS/MS, a high-resolution technique that individually identifies and quantifies the phenolic compounds present: hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal, oleuropein, tyrosol, and other secoiridoid derivatives.
According to this analysis, the varieties in the JANIROC collection clearly exceed the 250 mg/kg threshold set by EFSA regulations for an oil to be considered high in phenolic content. This figure is expressed in milligrams of phenolic compounds per kilogram of oil (mg/kg), the same unit used by the reference method of the International Olive Council (COI/T.20/Doc. 29) and adopted by Regulation (EU) 432/2012 itself.
Scientific validation
The determination and quantification of the phenolic compounds in our oils is carried out by the Antioxidant Research Group at the University of Lleida using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), a technique that allows for the individual quantification of secoiridoids using specific commercial standards, overcoming the limitations of the official method based on HPLC-DAD.
Antioxidant Research Group of the University of Lleida
University of Lleida · Campus of ETSEA, Building 2, floor 3, Av. de l'Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191
Extraction and Quantification of Phenolic Compounds in Different Varieties of Olive Oil
Alba Macia i Puig
Head of Chromatographic Techniques, Antioxidants Research Group (UdL)
Technical manager of the report
Principal Investigator of the Antioxidants Research Group. Professor at the Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Science (UdL)
Coordinator of the research lines in nutrition of the group
Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 20 g of olive oil. Claim authorized by Regulation (EU) 432/2012. http://www.antioxidants.udl.cat/
Polyphenol content is not a fixed property of the variety. Two batches of the same variety harvested on the same day can yield different values: the plot, the water the tree received, the time of fruit harvest, the time between harvest and milling, the time and temperature of malaxation, and many other factors all play a role. Furthermore, the oil loses polyphenols over the months it spends in the bottle.
That is why we do not publish a single, fixed figure. We analyze each batch with our own HPLC equipment in our laboratory and guarantee the minimum level that holds throughout the campaign, not the best analysis of the year. This guaranteed minimum is always determined according to the official method of the International Olive Council, the reference we use in all commercialization and the one that appears on the analysis certificate for each batch.
Three varieties, three phenolic profiles
| Variety | Guaranteed minimum (IOC) | Batch 2025/26 · IOC | Batch 2025/26 · UPLC-MS/MS (UdL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| JANIROC Arbequina | from 325 mg/kg | 482 mg/kg | 652 mg/kg |
| JANIROC Lecciana | from 400 mg/kg | 483 mg/kg | 410 mg/kg |
| JANIROC Koroneiki | from 500 mg/kg | 671 mg/kg | 627 mg/kg |
A proposal that goes beyond the numbers
In the high-phenolic EVOO segment, the polyphenol count has become a common selling point.
PONS's current and future approach is not built solely on that number, but on bioavailability and a more precise question: of all the phenolic compounds present in an oil, which ones are actually absorbed by the body?
This question makes sense when there is in-house research to formulate it and a validated analytical methodology to answer it.
It is an attribute that cannot be replicated without a laboratory or characterization by variety, and it distinguishes PONS from most producers, who merely state a total figure without delving into its composition.
Each phenolic compound behaves differently in the body: it is absorbed, metabolized, and persists differently according to its structure. That is why the question of bioavailability can only be answered by knowing which compounds are present and in what proportion, not just their total sum.
What does it mean to characterize the phenolic profile of an oil
Characterizing the phenolic profile goes beyond providing a total figure. UPLC-MS/MS (ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry) enables the individual identification and quantification of each compound: hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal, oleuropein, tyrosol, and the other secoiridoid derivatives.
This allows us to know not only how many polyphenols an oil contains, but also what they are and in what proportion. Two oils with a similar total figure can have very different profiles, and that is where characterization by variety provides real value.
In addition, PONS has incorporated a high-precision liquid chromatograph into its internal laboratory.
Each production batch in the oil mill is analyzed to adjust the process of subsequent batches of the same variety, within the same campaign.
Behind each bottle of PONS EVOO there is a verified polyphenol data specific to that batch, not a campaign average.
PONS incorporates HPLC for real-time polyphenol control in EVOO
PONS analyzes polyphenols using a high-precision liquid chromatograph (HPLC) installed in its own in-house laboratory.
PONS incorporates HPLC for real-time polyphenol control in EVOO
PONS analyzes polyphenols using a high-precision liquid chromatograph (HPLC) installed in its own in-house laboratory.
The JANIROC Collection
JANIROC is PONS' collection of high-phenolic organic extra virgin olive oils. It includes monovarietal and coupage oils made with varieties selected for their phenolic profile, with EU Organic (CCPAE) and USDA Organic (NOP) certification.
Technical information for B2B buyers and specialized channels
For distributors, importers, and high-end professional and HORECA channel buyers, PONS technical documentation includes chromatographic profiles by variety, data from ongoing research on the bioavailable fraction, and information regarding current certifications.
As an organic EVOO brand with its own research on polyphenol bioavailability and a reference in R&D on olive oil polyphenols in collaboration with the University of Lleida, PONS possesses the scientific traceability necessary to support value arguments in channels that demand rigor: specialized distributors, importers with high-end positioning, high-level HORECA, and international distribution with technical product selection criteria.
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PONS installs an HPLC in its own laboratory to measure EVOO polyphenols in real time
PONS integrates an HPLC in its Lleida laboratory, within the milling line, to measure EVOO polyphenols batch by batch during harvest, validated with the University of Lleida.