Monitoring of acrylamide and phenolic compounds in table olive after high hydrostatic pressure and cooking treatments

Acrylamide and phenolic compounds on both fresh and cooked olives were monitored by HPLC/MS-MS and reversed-phase-HPLC methods along different procedures: elaboration process, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), cooking treatment and bioavailability evaluation. Acrylamide was not detected during the elaboration process and after HHP treatment. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleuropein and verbascoside were the most important phenols after HHP treatment. The frying and baking processes on olives enhanced the formation of acrylamide and a significant reduction in the phenolic compounds. The frying process produced lower acrylamide concentration and less reduction of phenolic compounds than the baking process, while in the gastrointestinal digestion these compounds were slightly reduced if compared to the initial stage. As a conclusion, the best way to ingest high quantities of phenols and reduce acrylamide consumption is by ingesting the olives when they are fresh. In case the olives need to be cooked, specific time and temperature conditions shall be applied.