Neurophysiological Responses to Extra Virgin and Refined Olive Oils: A Pilot Study Combining Flavor Profiling,...

The flavor of olive oil is primarily influenced by minor compounds such as volatile and phenolic compounds, which play a significant role in consumer preferences. This study aimed to investigate the flavor profiles of two commercial olive oils: extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and refined olive oil (ROO), using electronic sensors and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and to examine whether differences in flavor-related profiles (volatile and phenolic/taste-related indices) are accompanied by distinct EEG band responses and sLORETA source patterns during oral perception. Additionally, electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis and standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) were performed on healthy adults in their twenties to examine the neurophysiological responses. The results showed that EVOO exhibited richer green notes and more bitterness compared to ROO, which corresponded with distinct EEG activity patterns and sLORETA findings. Specifically, EVOO tended to activate a greater number of Brodmann areas than ROO, showing relatively higher activation in high-beta and gamma waves. However, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary due to the limited sample size (n = 6) This pilot study suggests that EEG may capture subtle differences in brain activity associated with tasting EVOO and ROO, but larger blinded, placebo-controlled studies are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn about neural correlates of oil flavor perception.