Changes in phenolic content of olive during maturation

Qualitative and quantitative data are presented for the phenolic content of cvs Manzanillo and Cucco based on separation by high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC, with ultraviolet, fluorescence and mass spectrometric detection. Oleuropein is the principal phenolic compound in olive and its concentration changed significantly during fruit development. Changes in the content of tyrosol, ligstroside and verbascoside were also observed but these were relatively smaller.