Researchers have concluded, following extensive study, that compounds present in the waste generated during the olive oil extraction process could have cosmetic applications.
Researchers in Spain and Portugal have concluded, following extensive study, that compounds present in the waste (or pomace) generated during the olive oil extraction process, such as hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleuropein, oleuropein aglycone and verbascoside, could be used, among other things, as cometic active ingredients after suitable purification. Green, efficient extraction methods must be developed to ensure high recovery levels.
The paper reviews the compounds found in olive pomace, the extraction methods used and the health effects associated with them. For instance, tyrosol has both antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that could find cosmetic and other applications if incorporated in polymer carriers that overcome its hydrophilic chemical nature, while oleuropein aglycone “could be a potential natural antimicrobial for the treatment of skin infections”.
