Potential use of olive mill wastewater in the preparation of functional beverages: A review

The biological activities of phenolic compounds from olive mill wastewater (OMW) have extensively been studied, and shown a spectrum of highly interesting bioactivities. These properties demonstrate the potential of OMW extract for inclusion into food and beverages. This contribution provides an overview of key research describing the phenolic profile of OMW associated with health promoting activities including the impact of processing and storage on its composition, safety and the bioavailability. The potential application of OMW for the preparation of functional beverages and the impact of beverage formulation factors on bioavailability of OMW phenolics are discussed. Based on the available studies, phenolic compounds of OMW are highly bioavailable and safe. Owing to the numerous reported biological activities of OMW, the inclusion of OMW phenolic extract in beverage preparations may have a significant impact on the health of population through the reduction in incidence of cardiovascular and chronic degenerative diseases. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.