The chemical composition of Italian virgin olive oils

Among the genetic, agronomic, technological, microbiological, and environmental influencing factors on the composition and quality of oils, the variety is recognized as predominant. For this reason, in this chapter, we will discuss the great variability of Italian VOO composition by monovarietal data. The aim is to offer a framework for the most important Italian cultivars about the VOO content of fatty acids, polyphenols, tocopherols, squalene, and sterols as chemical compounds with important effects for human health and disease prevention.