Medéleon’s 2025 harvest Koroneiki extra virgin olive oil contains 821 mg/kg total polyphenols, 232 mg/kg oleocanthal, and 0.38% free acidity, verified by independent laboratory analysis conducted at the University of Athens and certified by the World Olive Center for Health. This page documents the complete results.
What Are Medéleon’s 2025 Polyphenol Levels?
The total polyphenolic content of Medéleon’s 2025 harvest, as analyzed by Professor Prokopios Magiatis at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), is 821 mg/kg. This places Medéleon firmly in the high-phenolic EVOO category, a designation that requires significantly more than the 250 mg/kg threshold commonly cited in premium olive oil marketing.
The analysis was conducted using the method published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2012, 60, 11696; 2014, 62, 600) and Molecules (2020, 25, 2449), and registered with EFET (the Greek Food Safety Authority). This is the internationally recognized gold-standard methodology for polyphenol quantification in olive oil.
What Is the Oleocanthal Content of Medéleon?
Oleocanthal is the polyphenol most studied for its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Medéleon’s 2025 harvest contains 232 mg/kg oleocanthal,significantly above the international sampling average of 135 mg/kg established in the University of California Davis study referenced in the analysis.
Oleacin, a compound associated with antioxidant and cardioprotective activity, measures 139 mg/kg, again above the UC Davis average of 105 mg/kg.
The combined Oleocanthal + Oleacin index (D1) is 371 mg/kg, making this one of the most biologically active fractions of the oil.
How Does Medéleon Compare to the EU Health Claim Threshold?
The EU Health Claim Regulation 432/2012 recognizes that olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. To carry this claim, an olive oil must deliver a minimum of 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20g of oil.
A single 20g serving of Medéleon provides 16.43 mg of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol derivatives, more than three times the required threshold. This is not a marginal pass. It represents a meaningful biological dose in a standard daily portion.
Full Polyphenol Breakdown: 2025 Harvest
All values in mg/kg, analyzed by Prof. Prokopios Magiatis, NKUA, December 2025:
| Oleocanthal | 232 mg/kg |
| Oleacin | 139 mg/kg |
| Oleocanthal + Oleacin (Index D1) | 371 mg/kg |
| Aglycon Ligstroside (monoaldehyde form) | 107 mg/kg |
| Aglycon Oleuropein (monoaldehyde form) | 114 mg/kg |
| Aglycon Ligstroside (dialdehyde form) | 139 mg/kg |
| Aglycon Oleuropein (dialdehyde form) | 90 mg/kg |
| Free Tyrosol | <5 mg/kg |
| Total Measured Tyrosol Derivatives | 478 mg/kg |
| Total Measured Hydroxytyrosol Derivatives | 343 mg/kg |
| Total Polyphenolic Constituents Analyzed | 821 mg/kg |
What Are the Chemical Quality Parameters?
Chemical quality parameters confirm extra virgin classification and freshness:
| Free Acidity | 0.38% (limit: <0.8%) |
| Peroxides | 8.60 meqO2/kg (limit: <20) |
| K232 | 2.137 (limit: <2.5) |
| K270 | 0.206 (limit: <0.22) |
| ΔΚ | 0.0010 |
Acidity is the most commonly cited quality marker in olive oil, but it is also the most easily manipulated through refining. Medéleon’s 0.38% acidity is achieved naturally, through early harvest, rapid cold extraction, and careful handling, not through chemical treatment.
What Do the Organoleptic Results Show?
An olive oil can only be classified as Extra Virgin if it passes both chemical analysis and an independent sensory panel evaluation. Medéleon’s organoleptic test was conducted by AgroFoodLab (Athens) under EU Regulation EOK 2568/91:
Fruitiness (Mf): 4.7 / 10
Bitterness (Mb): 4.4 / 10
Pungency (Ms): 4.4 / 10
Defects (Md): 0
The absence of defects (Md = 0) confirms the oil is free of fermentation, rancidity, mustiness, or any processing fault. The bitterness and pungency scores of 4.4 reflect the characteristic intensity of early-harvest Koroneiki oil, these are not flaws but direct sensory indicators of high polyphenol content. Bitterness comes from oleacin; pungency from oleocanthal. If you taste it and it stings slightly at the back of the throat, that is the oleocanthal working.
Why Does Harvest Timing Affect Polyphenol Content?
Polyphenol concentration in olive oil peaks before full fruit maturation and declines as the olive ripens. Medéleon’s 2025 harvest took place in October 2025, at the early green stage, when oleocanthal and oleacin levels are at their natural maximum.
Most commercial olive oils are harvested later, when yields are higher but polyphenol levels have dropped significantly. Early harvesting reduces quantity per tree. Medéleon accepts this trade-off deliberately. The numbers above are its result.
How Was the Analysis Conducted?
The polyphenol analysis was performed at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens by Professor Prokopios Magiatis, Associate Professor of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy. Professor Magiatis is the founder of the World Olive Center for Health and the author of the NMR-based methodology that is now the international standard for polyphenol quantification in olive oil.
The method is registered with EFET and published in peer-reviewed international journals. The same methodology is used in clinical research and regulatory submissions globally.
The nutritional certificate was also issued by the World Olive Center for Health (Athens, 29/12/2025). The organoleptic panel test was conducted by AgroFoodLab (Melissia, Athens), protocol 0045-GR00000535-25-02.
Harvest Details
| Variety | Origin | Harvest Season | Production Date | Analysis Date |
| Koroneiki (100%) | Katouna, Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece | October 2025 | 30/10/2025 | 24/12/2025 |
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FAQ
How many polyphenols does Medéleon have?
Medéleon’s 2025 harvest contains 821 mg/kg total polyphenols, verified by independent analysis at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. This includes 232 mg/kg oleocanthal and 139 mg/kg oleacin.
Does Medéleon qualify for the EU Health Claim?
Yes. EU Regulation 432/2012 requires a minimum of 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol derivatives per 20g of oil. Medéleon delivers 16.43 mg per 20g serving, more than three times the threshold.
What makes Medéleon’s oleocanthal level significant?
At 232 mg/kg, Medéleon’s oleocanthal exceeds the international average of 135 mg/kg established in the UC Davis global sampling study. Oleocanthal is the compound responsible for the throat-stinging sensation in fresh EVOO and has been studied for anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.
Is Medéleon certified as Extra Virgin?
Yes. Independent organoleptic panel testing by AgroFoodLab confirmed zero defects (Md = 0), satisfying the sensory requirements for Extra Virgin classification under EU Regulation EOK 2568/91.
