An in vitro study analyzes the prebiotic properties of EVOO
It is being conducted by Italian researchers. Interest in the health benefits of olive oil continues to grow, so much so that we hear almost daily about a new study attempting to reveal new properties. Today we refer to an Italian study that investigated whether extra virgin olive oil has prebiotic properties.
For this purpose, about twenty different samples of monovarietal EVOO from five varieties from the Marche region (Italy) were analyzed. The prebiotic activity of EVOO was evaluated by monitoring the selective stimulation of intestinal bacterial species and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) using an in vitro fermentation system.
All EVOOs selectively stimulated Lactobacillus spp. with greater activity than in the inulin fermentation (positive control).
Furthermore, the bifidobacteria population increased. This bifidogenic stimulation was achieved by Raggia EVOO. SCFAs appeared to be significantly higher in all EVOO fermentations than in the control after 24 hours. The production of acetic and propionic acids was particularly stimulated.
The final result was that most of the EVOOs analyzed generally exhibited a potential prebiotic activity similar to or stronger than insulin.