Effect of antimicrobial compounds from olive products on microorganisms related to health, food and agriculture

Antimicrobial activity has recently been demonstrated in olive products. The anti-bacterial effect was correlated with the presence of olive glutaraldehyde-like compounds such as the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid either free (EDA), linked to tyrosol (TyEDA) or to hydroxytyrosol (HyEDA). Hence, the bactericidal activity of these substances is due to their dialdehydic structure, which is similar to those of the commercial antiseptics glutaraldehyde and ophthalaldehyde. Antimicrobial studies have been carried out in several fields: human health, food processing and agricultural pest control. The antimicrobial activity of olive oil was tested against Helicobacter pylori as well as against several foodborne pathogens. It has also been found that some salt-free solutions from table olive and olive oil production processes are rich in these antimicrobial compounds, and they can exert bactericidal and antifungal activity against phytopathogenic microorganisms.