Abstract

A comparison between different extraction methods has been performed in order to assess their effectiveness for the analysis of total phenols (liquid–liquid extraction (LLE), liquid–liquid micro extraction (LLME), and ultrasound liquid–liquid extraction (USE)) and individual phenols (LLME, USE, and solid-phase extraction (SPE)) from virgin olive oil (VOO). Statistical analysis of the analytical data obtained for the total phenol content of a VOO, showed that LLME and USE can represent a reliable alternative to the traditional procedure based on LLE that needs more amount of sample, generates more wastes, and is more time consuming. When an olive oil spiked with phenols was used to test the efficiency of LLME, USE, and SPE methods, the statistical analysis of the data obtained for each individual phenol, again proved LLME and USE methods to be the most suitable, in terms of precision and recoveries, for this purpose. The analysis of real samples (Arbequina and Picual cultivars) confirmed the results obtained for the spiked oil.