Volume 88, Issue 3, September (2002), pp. 223-225 © The Author 2002
doi:10.1079/BJN2002658

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Invited commentary

Olive oil phenolics: effects on DNA-oxidation and redox enzyme mRNA in prostate cells

Elizabeth Lund
Institute of Food Research, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UA, UK

The health benefits of the ‘Mediterranean diet’ have been recognized since the mid-1970s with many reviews on the topic being produced up to the present (Trichopoulou et al. 2001). Benefits relate principally to prevention of cardiovascular disease and colo-rectal, breast and prostate cancers. Disease prevention has been linked to characteristic features of a typical Mediterranean diet, including tomatoes, fruits and vegetables, seafood, wine and olive oil. These foods contain a wide range of potentially protective factors such as n-3 fatty acids, low saturated fat content, soluble fibre, glucosinolates, carotenoids, tocopherol, vitamin C and a variety of phenolic compounds. Virgin olive oil is a particularly rich source of the phenolics caffeic acid, oleuropein, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol.