Researchers from the Yale School of Public Health in the United States, in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Cardiology at Yale School of Medicine, has announced that it is undertaking a new research project on the human health benefits associated with daily consumption of table olives.

This research project is carried out in the framework of the activities related to the establishment of the proposed Yale Olive Sciences and Health Institute (YOSHI).

The mission of the proposed Yale Olive Sciences and Health Institute is to facilitate and coordinate the rigorous study, robust research and creative interdisciplinary activities. Through academic, public and industry partnerships, YOSHI will foster the investigation and dissemination of evidence-based best practices and guidelines pertaining both to sustainable olive and olive oil production and usage, and their downstream health benefits. The idea and mission of the Institute has been widely supported by more than 70 international and national academic, research and private bodies active in this field.

The research project is led by two very prominent Greek professors from the Yale School of Public Health, Dr. Vasilis Vasiliou, Chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Dr. Tassos C. Kyriakides, Researcher in Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Clinical Trials.

The title of the research is "OLIVES FOR HEALTH" and its purpose is to assess the benefits to human health from the daily consumption of table olives.

For this specific research project at Yale University, the organic Kalamata table olives with high polyphenol content by Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms, from Sparta, Laconia and Greece were selected.

These are organically grown olives, are produced without pasteurization, with a natural fermentation process and, without chemical additives or preservatives. These olives have superior organoleptic and quality characteristics, confirmed by the top awards received at the biggest national and international competitions.

Additionally, the organic Kalamata olives by Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms have extremely high levels of phenols, namely hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol (known for their health-protective properties). Of note, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol have been attributed antioxidant and cardioprotective properties.

Based on analysis performed using the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) method, these olives contain more than 1700 mg / Kg of phenols and thus the daily consumption of 3 grams of olives provides more than 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol or their derivatives. This is equivalent to the consumption of 20 grams of extra virgin olive oil, which when it contains the same phenol levels carries the European Union health claim (Regulation 432/2012) of protection against blood lipid oxidation.

The organic Kalamata table olives by Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms were chosen for exclusive use in the OLIVES FOR HEALTH research project at Yale University because of their high phenol content and thus their potential health benefits.

The research project has currently received the final approval by Yale University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) with IRB Protocol ID 2000031519 and is scheduled to begin in January 2022.

In addition, the research project "Olives for Health" has acquired the registration number NCT05218980 in the scientific database of clinical studies ClinicalTrials.gov, of the United States of America as well as 220 countries, maintained by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the USA.

It is a special honor that the organic Kalamata olives by Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms, from Sparta, are exclusively used for this research project undertaken by the research team at the Yale School of Public Health.

Scientific research and synergies are at the core of the Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms since the company’s establishment. Yale University's new "OLIVES FOR HEALTH" research project is an innovative and robust way to potentially generate evidence that would facilitate the worldwide consumption of high phenol, organic Greek, table olives, as a healthy, natural, bio-functional food with proven health-protective properties.