Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a symbol of the Mediterranean diet, constituting its primary source of fat. The beneficial effect of EVOO is strictly related to the presence of fatty acids and polyphenols, bioactive compounds endowed with nutraceutical properties. Among EVOO polyphenols, lignans possess a steroid-like chemical structure and are part of the phytoestrogen family, which is renowned for its health properties. The natural lignans (+)-pinoresinol and 1-acetoxypinoresinol (1-AP) are commonly present in olives and in EVOO. Although (+)-pinoresinol is found in different edible plants, such as flaxseed, beans, whole-grain cereals, sesame seeds, and certain vegetables and fruit, 1-AP was exclusively identified in olives in 2000. So far, the scientific literature has extensively covered different aspects of (+)-pinoresinol, including its isolation and nutraceutical properties. In contrast, less is known about the olive lignan 1-AP. Therefore, this review aimed to comprehensively evaluate the more important aspects of 1-AP, collecting all the literature from 2016 to the present, exploring its distribution in different cultivars, analytical isolation and purification, and nutraceutical properties.
Keywords: 1-acetoxypinoresinol; extra virgin olive oil; lignan; polyphenols.