EFSA Evaluates Health Claim on Olive Oil Polyphenols and HDL Cholesterol

In May 2025, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed a health claim application from the University of Bari Aldo Moro concerning olive oil polyphenols and the maintenance of normal high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations. While EFSA acknowledged that the food constituent, olive oil polyphenols, is sufficiently characterised, the evidence provided was insufficient to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the consumption of olive oil polyphenols and the maintenance of normal HDL cholesterol concentrations. The applicant submitted a systematic review and meta-analysis of ten human intervention studies; however, EFSA noted that the results were not consistent across studies and lacked replication in other population groups or settings. Additionally, no evidence was available on the sustainability of the effect with continuous consumption over longer periods, and no plausible mechanism was provided to explain how olive oil polyphenols could exert the claimed effect. Consequently, EFSA concluded that the evidence was insufficient to substantiate the health claim.