Evolution of the metabolic profile of virgin olive oil during deep-frying: Assessing the transfer of bioactive compounds to the fried food

Deep-frying in virgin olive oil (VOO) is favorable due to its desirable composition and high content of bioactive compounds that can be transferred to fried food. The main goal of this work was to investigate the evolution of VOO metabolic profile during consecutive deep-frying cycles and assess the transfer of metabolites to French fries. The evolution of 56 compounds was monitored by two complementary liquid chromatography methods, using mass spectrometry, diode array, and fluorescence detectors. Sterols and lignans were remarkably stable (greater than 70 % retention in frying oil). Seven out of the ten compounds' classes identified in the oil were transferred to the fried food. Potatoes fried in Arbequina oil from Brazil incorporated the highest amounts of VOO minor components, among the analyzed samples, and sterols presented the highest transfer rate. French fries were enriched by VOO bioactive compounds during deep-frying, especially on the first two days, improving their nutritional value.