110 CULTIVAR ANALYSIS AND PROSPECTIVE STUDIES No. 35 Olive groves and olive oil Phytosterols, due to their structural similarity to cholesterol, are able to reduce its intestinal absorption, thereby contributing to cardiovascular health (Garrido-Romero et al., 2025). Polyphenols, triterpenes and other phytochemicals also influence the microbiota present in the digestive system, having a beneficial effect on bacterial populations such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These compounds help to reduce the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and promote the production of short-chain fatty acids and other health-related metabolites, thereby strengthening the integrity of the intestinal barrier (Garrido-Romero et al., 2025). It should be noted that one of the main limitations of most studies conducted to date is that data are generally obtained from in vitro assays or animal models, as well as the lack of standardised intervention protocols. It is therefore necessary to conduct clinical trials in humans and to assess the inter-individual variability of the microbiota (Garrido-Romero et al., 2025). Furthermore, it must be borne in mind that the bioavailability of isolated compounds may differ when they are included in a food matrix, as the bioactivity determined in individual assays may differ from the actual bioavailability in the diet. In the future, personalised nutritional strategies based on olivederived compounds may be developed. 5. Application of new technologies, processes and uses Increasingly, table olive producers are seeking technologies capable of extending shelf life and improving the stability of their products. Among the technologies tested to date, the following examples stand out: (i) Partial replacement of NaCl in brines with other salts, such as KCl, CaCl₂ and MgCl₂, in Spanish-style green olives, with the salts affecting the sensory characteristics (López-López et al., 2023). Moreno-Baquero et al. (2013), when studying chopped olives with spices to which they added mixtures of NaCl, KCl and CaCl₂ , obtained olives with a lower sodium content but enriched in potassium and calcium, the latter having increased their bitterness; (ii) Application of CO2 during fermentation and subjected to low-salt brines (Zullo & Ciafardini, 2024), with CO2 inhibiting the growth of bacteria and moulds; (iii) Application of red LED light during the fermentation process of green olives to promote the growth of lactic acid bacteria and reduce bitterness more rapidly (Martins et al., 2024); (iv) Modified-atmosphere packaging, with the advantages cited as increased shelf life and product stability, as well as the inhibition of the growth of fungi and undesirable microorganisms. However, this may affect the microbiota present and alter product quality (Michailidou et al., 2021a,b); and (v) The increasing application of omics technologies to olive fermentation processes, involving the use of metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics and metabolomics. These methodologies enable the study and understanding of the microbiota, metabolite formation and fermentation processes, allowing the identification of biomarkers associated with food quality and safety (Vaccalluzzo et al., 2020). In recent years, table olives have been gaining increasing prominence in modern cuisine. As such, they are widely used in gastronomy as an appetiser or as an ingredient in various foods, such as pizzas. The incorporation of olive derivatives into food products has been the subject of study, with the following examples being particularly noteworthy: (i) The incorporation of olive pomace into yoghurts, providing a source of fibre and hydroxytyrosol (Ribeiro et al., 2021); (ii) Olive powders, produced from green olives, olives changing colour and black olives, rich in phenolic compounds (Rodrigues et al., 2022); (iii) Beef burgers enriched with phenolic extracts derived from olive mill wastewater, acting as natural antimicrobial preservatives (Roila et al., 2024).
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