Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — authorised health claim for olive oil polyphenols

Summary

The 2012 European Union health-claim regulation that defines the regulatory threshold for what counts as a polyphenol-active olive oil. The claim — "olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress" — is authorised only for olive oils that deliver at least 5 milligrams of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives (oleuropein complex and tyrosol) per 20 grams of olive oil consumed. That works out to a tissue-relevant 250 mg per kilogram of olive oil at the daily-intake reference of 20 g. The claim is supported by a body of EFSA-reviewed mechanistic and intervention evidence on phenolic compounds and oxidative stress markers, and is the most widely cited regulatory basis for the "extra virgin olive oil polyphenols are different from refined olive oil" distinction. The regulation is also the EU's reference point for "extra virgin" olive oil quality grading more broadly (acidity ≤0.8%, panel test, polyphenol content). Refined olive oil typically loses 84–87% of polyphenol content during refining.