High Polyphenol Olive Oil: Bulk and Private Label Supply from Tunisia
In short. "High polyphenol" has no legal definition. The only regulated benchmark is the EU health claim (Reg. 432/2012): at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g of oil, which is 250 mg/kg. Tunisian Chetoui often reaches that level, but each lot has to prove it on its certificate of analysis (COA). We supply high-phenolic extra virgin in bulk or under your label, with the polyphenol result of the lot you receive.
Searches for "high polyphenol olive oil" have grown fast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia over the past twelve months. For an importer or a brand, the question is practical: where do you source an oil that holds its figure, lot after lot, and what can you write on the label? This page answers both.
What "high polyphenol" means for a buyer
Polyphenols (or biophenols) are natural antioxidant compounds of extra virgin olive oil: hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleuropein and oleocanthal derivatives, among others. They give the oil its bitterness and pungency and help it keep longer.
Three points matter when you buy:
- There is no official "high polyphenol" grade. Brands use thresholds of their own. The only figure written into law is the EU claim threshold of 250 mg/kg.
- The level is a property of the lot, not of the brand or the origin. Variety, ripeness at harvest, extraction and storage all change it.
- The level falls over time. Polyphenols are consumed as they protect the oil, so a result measured at bottling is higher than the result at the end of shelf life. The specification should say when the measurement is taken, and the label claim has to stay true until the best-before date.
The EU health claim: the only regulated threshold
EU Regulation 432/2012, based on an EFSA opinion, authorises one claim: "Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress."
| Condition | Value |
|---|---|
| Compounds counted | Hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives (e.g. oleuropein complex and tyrosol) |
| Minimum content | 5 mg per 20 g of olive oil, i.e. 250 mg/kg |
| Consumer information | The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 20 g of olive oil |
| Where it applies | European Union and Northern Ireland (which follows EU rules); Great Britain kept the same claim in its own register |
Outside these markets, the claim is not automatic. In the United States, for instance, label wording follows FDA rules. Check the rules of your market before printing: our labelling guide by market lists the main points. The background to this claim and how it is used in sales is covered in our article polyphenols, the health argument that sells in B2B.
Why Tunisian Chetoui
Tunisia grows mainly two varieties, with opposite profiles:
| Variety | Region | Profile | Polyphenols |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chetoui | North (Béja region) | Green, bitter, pungent | Often high: it is the Tunisian variety of choice for a high-phenolic oil |
| Chemlali | Centre and South (Sfax) | Mild, fruity | Generally lower: suited to a mainstream, mild profile |
For a high-polyphenol brand, buyers usually start from Chetoui, alone or blended to soften the bitterness. Early-harvest oil, picked green, gives higher levels than late-harvest oil from the same grove. We never promise a figure before the lot is analysed: the COA decides.
How the level is measured, and what to ask for
Two analyses are often confused:
- Total polyphenols (colorimetric method, often called Folin–Ciocalteu). It gives a global figure, useful for comparison, but it does not prove the EU claim.
- Hydroxytyrosol and derivatives by liquid chromatography (HPLC) or NMR. This is the measurement that matches the wording of the claim.
What to put in your specification:
- the method (and the laboratory) used for the polyphenol result;
- the minimum level you need, in mg/kg, guaranteed at the best-before date, or a higher level at loading that leaves a margin for the loss over shelf life;
- the usual quality parameters of extra virgin: acidity ≤ 0.80%, peroxide value ≤ 20, K232, K270, sensory panel. Our guide how to read a COA explains each line.
Buyer side. Require the polyphenol result per lot, on the oil you receive, and keep a reference sample. Seller side. Quote the level measured on the lot, with the date and the method, and state whether it is a minimum at the best-before date or a level at loading. Never quote a level taken from another lot or from a previous harvest.
What we supply
Zitouna Export is an exporter based in Sfax. We source extra virgin oil from producers across Tunisia, have each lot analysed, and ship it in bulk or bottled at our bottling site.
- Bulk: flexitank (~22,000 L), IBC (1,000 L) or drums (200 to 216 L), for brands that bottle at home. See formats and container capacity.
- Private label: glass bottles (Marasca, Dorica), PET and metal tins, under your label. The customisation covers the oil (variety, blend, profile) and the label, not the bottle shape. See private label olive oil.
- Organic: certified organic lots (EU organic and USDA NOP) can be combined with a high polyphenol profile; EU organic status for new-harvest lots is subject to the EU regime applicable at delivery. See the organic hub.
- Documents: COA per lot; our certification file (ISO, IFS, BRCGS, FDA registration, EU organic, USDA NOP, Halal, Kosher) is sent on request before any order. See certifications.
Launching a high-polyphenol brand: the steps
- Fix the target: minimum polyphenol level, method, profile (bitterness you accept), organic or not.
- Order a sample with its analysis: request a sample.
- Check the label wording for your market before printing.
- Choose the format: bulk if you bottle, or bottles under your label. Our guide creating your olive oil brand covers costs and timing.
- Ask for a dated quote: quote form. We reply within 24 business hours.
FAQ: high polyphenol olive oil
What counts as a high polyphenol olive oil?
There is no legal definition. The only regulated benchmark is the EU health claim, which requires 250 mg/kg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives (5 mg per 20 g of oil). Many brands use this figure as their minimum.
Is Tunisian olive oil high in polyphenols?
It depends on the variety and the lot. Chetoui, from the North of Tunisia, often gives high levels; Chemlali, the main variety of the South, is usually milder and lower. Only the COA of the lot gives the answer.
Can I print the EU health claim on my label?
Only if the oil meets the 250 mg/kg condition for hydroxytyrosol and derivatives, with the authorised wording or one with the same meaning for the consumer, and only in markets that recognise the claim (EU and Northern Ireland, and Great Britain under its own register). Elsewhere, local rules apply.
Which analysis proves the polyphenol level?
A chromatography (HPLC) or NMR analysis of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives matches the wording of the EU claim. A "total polyphenols" colorimetric result is useful for comparison but does not prove the claim.
Do polyphenols drop over time?
Yes. They protect the oil against oxidation and are consumed in the process. Storage away from light, heat and air slows the loss. A label claim must stay true until the best-before date, so the contract should set a minimum level at that date, or a margin at loading.
Do you guarantee a polyphenol level?
We commit to the level measured on the lot you buy, stated on its COA with the method and date, and we agree with you whether the figure is a minimum at the best-before date or a level at loading with a margin. We do not announce a level before the lot is analysed.
Can I buy high polyphenol olive oil in bulk?
Yes: flexitank, IBC or drums, with the COA of the lot. Bulk suits brands and bottlers that pack in their own market.
Can you bottle it under my brand?
Yes. We fill glass, PET or metal tins under your label at our bottling site. The customisation covers the oil and the label; bottles come from our catalogue.
Is organic high polyphenol olive oil available?
Certified organic lots (EU organic, USDA NOP) can be selected for a high polyphenol profile, subject to availability in the campaign, to the analysis of each lot and, for EU organic, to the EU regime applicable at delivery.
How do I get a sample?
Through our sample request page. The sample comes with the lot's analysis, and becomes your reference for the order.
Sourcing a high-phenolic oil for your brand? Request a dated quote with your target level, volume and format, or order a sample first.
Regulatory data checked on 09/11/2026 (EU Reg. 432/2012). Polyphenol levels vary by lot and are only stated after analysis. No invented figures.