Olive Oil Test 2026: Which olive oil is the best? Polyphenols and laboratory values in comparison

In short: Which olive oil is best depends on what you are looking for. In the current test by Stiftung Warentest (issue 2/2026), only 4 out of 25 olive oils were rated “good,” while 8 were “poor” – the assessment focused primarily on taste, contaminants, and labeling, not polyphenols. If you are looking for an olive oil with as many polyphenols as possible, three things count: the measurement method, a public lab report, and how fresh the oil is when it reaches you. In our comparison, the highest publicly certified value from the 2025/26 harvest is Pamako from Crete with 2,081 mg/kg (NMR); measured by HPLC, the highest values are around 1,000 mg/kg. And because olive oil in the bottle typically loses 30–55% of its polyphenols in the first year at room temperature, what counts is how much is still in the oil when you use it, not the number on the label.

Anyone searching for the “best olive oil with polyphenols” will find rankings with figures ranging from 500 to over 2,000 mg/kg. We took a closer look at the best-known oils from Greece, Italy, and Spain, as well as the offerings on the German market: Which value is cited, which method was used to measure it, is there a public lab report – and how much is left after a few months?

Which olive oil is the best? What the tests say

The most well-known answer to this question comes from Stiftung Warentest. In issue 2/2026 (published on January 29, 2026), they tested 25 extra virgin olive oils with liter prices ranging from 8 to 54 euros. The result is sobering: only 4 oils received a “good” rating, while 8 were “poor.” According to media reports, an organic olive oil from Alnatura performed the best (“good,” 2.3).

The most frequent reasons for poor ratings:

• Sensory defects: Oils sold as “extra virgin” tasted rancid or muddy/musty and should not have carried this grade.
• Contaminants: In some oils, testers found aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH) or the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate.

What the test does not evaluate: the polyphenol content. An oil can therefore perform “well” and still contain few polyphenols – or vice versa. Regarding the question of which olive oil is the best, this means:

• For cooking and daily use: A flawless extra virgin olive oil without contaminants – the test results help with selection.
• For the highest possible polyphenol content: A fresh, early-harvest oil with a disclosed measurement method and lab report. This is what the rest of this comparison is about.

You can read about how to fundamentally recognize a good olive oil – taste, label, bottle – in our article What is EVOO?

The Solio ritual Solio: high-polyphenol olive oil with 954 mg/kg View product →

The results at a glance

All information as a table

Olive oil	Origin, Variety	Stated value	Method	Public lab report	Fresh tank bottling confirmed	Price per 100 ml
Pamako Monovarietal	🇬🇷 Crete, Tsounati	2,081 mg/kg (Harvest 2025)	NMR	Yes, Certificate C2526-00362 (Nov 25, 2025), published via a retailer	✗ not specified	approx. €8.65
P.J. Kabos Family Reserve “Phenolic Shot”	🇬🇷 Greece	1,473 mg/kg NMR · 995 mg/kg HPLC (Harvest 2025)	NMR and HPLC	NMR yes (C2526-00188, Nov 05, 2025), HPLC not found	✗ not specified	approx. €11.97
The Governor Limited Edition	🇬🇷 Corfu	1,316 mg/kg (Harvest 2025)	NMR	Yes, C2526-00137 (Nov 19, 2025)	✗ not specified	approx. €8.48
Hypereleon Ultra Gold	🇬🇷 Greece	in circulation: 1,141 to 2,150 mg/kg; manufacturer: “2000+”	per manufacturer HPLC	Not public (“on request”)	✗ not specified	approx. €34.23
Oelea P800+	🇬🇷 Peloponnese, Choraitiki	1,216 mg/kg	NMR	Yes (C2425-00804), certificate refers to the 2024 harvest	✗ not specified	approx. €7.38
O'Liv PLUS	🇬🇷 Greece, Choraitiki	≥ 950 mg/kg; certificate: 1,045 mg/kg	NMR	Yes (C2526-00855, Mar 10, 2026)	✗ not specified	approx. €5.19
Solio	🇮🇹 Apulia, Coratina	954 mg/kg (Harvest 2025)	HPLC	Yes, ChemiService test report 2530163 (Oct 28, 2025)	✓ monthly	from €9.72*
Sunday Natural Premium Polyphenol	🇮🇹 Apulia, Coratina	promoted: 733 mg/kg; certificate: 910 mg/kg	NMR	Yes (C2425-00774, Jun 05, 2025), without harvest and variety details	✗ not specified	€11.96
Oro del Desierto Picual	🇪🇸 Andalusia, Picual	844 mg/kg (Harvest 2025/26)	Folin-Ciocalteu	No PDF, values as graphic in the manufacturer’s blog	✗ not specified	approx. €2.90

* Solio: €9.72 per 100 ml with a 1 l subscription (4 bottles), €10.80 per 1 l without subscription, €11.60 for a single bottle. Other prices depend on the retailer and bottle size. “Fresh tank bottling confirmed”: ✓ means the manufacturer states that they regularly bottle fresh from the tank; ✗ means we found no information on this – not that it isn't the case. Finca La Torre states they only bottle upon confirmed order.

Oils promoted in Germany with polyphenol values but without stating a measurement method – such as Phenolio, Rapunzel Polyphenolia, or MANI Polyphenol – are shown separately above. Without a method, their values cannot be ranked. For Finca La Torre Hojiblanca, values between 457 and 1,059 mg/kg are in circulation; the highest cannot be assigned to any current lab report.

Why these figures cannot be directly compared

Polyphenols are measured using three common procedures, and each counts something different:

• NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance): The method from the University of Athens (Magiatis/Melliou) used by most Greek producers. It measures the true mass of six marker substances: oleocanthal, oleacein, and the aglycones of oleuropein and ligstroside in their various forms. It generally does not count free hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol.
• HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) per IOC method: The procedure of the International Olive Council (COI/T.20/Doc. No 29). It records all biophenols, including lignans, and calculates them as tyrosol equivalents. It is considered a more cautious method that tends to produce lower values.
• Folin-Ciocalteu: A color test that allows all oxidizable substances to react. It is inexpensive but non-specific and not comparable with the other two procedures.

P.J. Kabos demonstrates just how large the difference can be: according to the manufacturer, the same oil has 1,473 mg/kg via NMR and 995 mg/kg via HPLC. In an inter-laboratory study with five labs and 30 oils, the NMR results were, on average, about 3.8 mg per 20 g higher than the IOC-HPLC method – roughly 190 mg/kg (Tsimidou et al. 2019). No fixed conversion factor exists. Read more: HPLC vs. NMR explained.

This is why we only rank within the same method: NMR values against each other, HPLC values against each other.

Incidentally, for the EU health claim regarding olive oil polyphenols, Regulation (EU) No. 432/2012 does not prescribe a specific measuring method. It requires at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g of olive oil, i.e., around 250 mg/kg. All oils in the table list total values significantly above 250 mg/kg. However, whether the condition is met depends on the proportion of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives, not the total value.

How much of the lab value is left after a few months

Almost all published values are measured shortly after pressing, in October or November. However, the oil is often not consumed until months later. And polyphenols are not a fixed quantity: they degrade as soon as the oil is pressed, more rapidly in the presence of heat, light, and oxygen.

• In a sealed bottle, kept dark, at 20–25 °C, on average only about 54% of the original polyphenols remain after 12 months (29 oils, NMR, Diamantakos et al. 2021). A study of 160 oils found a 42% loss at 20 °C over 12 months (Castillo-Luna et al. 2021).
• Stored in a cool place, the loss is roughly halved. For Coratina oil, polyphenols fell from 860 to 270 mg/kg over 18 months at 25 °C, but only to 470 mg/kg at 4 °C (Crupi et al. 2025).
• Light strongly accelerates degradation. In a recent study, an oil under light lost its qualification for the EU health claim after just 3 months, compared to 48 weeks in the dark (Castillo-Luna & Priego-Capote 2026).
• The substances measured by NMR degrade the fastest. Oleacein decreased by 78% in 18 months (Crupi et al. 2025). Because they break down into hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol in the process, NMR values fall faster over time than HPLC values.
• Opening the bottle plays a smaller role than often thought. Over a month of use, polyphenols decreased by 12–18%, which was barely more than in unopened bottles (Klisović et al. 2022). The decisive factor is primarily how old the oil already is.

Model: How much actually reaches you?

To make this tangible, we calculated the degradation using a simple model: C(t) = C₀ · e^−k·t, using degradation rates from the studies above. We compare two ways the same oil reaches you:

• Classic: The oil is bottled once after harvest and then stands in storage, in the shop, and in the kitchen until it is bought and opened. For a dark bottle at room temperature, we calculate with k = 0.045 per month. This is in the middle of the published degradation rates at 25 °C of 0.026 to 0.060 per month, which allowed the actual shelf life to be predicted with an accuracy of approximately ±15% (Mancebo-Campos et al. 2023). For a shelf with lighting, we use k = 0.10 – an assumption supported by a study in which oils under diffuse light lost 57–63% of their polyphenols in 6 months, versus 39–45% in the dark (Okogeri & Tasioula-Margari 2002).
• Bottled monthly: The oil remains airtight, dark, and cool in a stainless steel tank until shortly before shipping, and is only then filled into the bottle. For the tank, we calculate with k = 0.015 per month (range 0.008–0.025). This is an assumption: there are no published degradation rates for tanks under nitrogen. It is based on three findings: cool storage at 14–18 °C roughly halves the degradation (calculated from published activation energies, Mancebo-Campos et al. 2022). Dark, near-airless bottles in a cool cellar lost a maximum of 31% over 24 months (Kotsiou & Tasioula-Margari 2016). And in stainless steel containers under nitrogen, an oil's secoiridoids remained stable for 12 months, albeit at a low starting value (Abuhabib et al. 2025).

Calculated for the moment you actually consume the oil (including the weeks the bottle is open):

Months since pressing	Classic, dark bottle	Classic, illuminated shelf	Bottled monthly from the tank
3	87%	78%	91%
6	76%	58%	87%
9	67%	43%	83%
12	58%	32%	80%
18	44%	17%	73%

Using the ranges from the literature, the classic method after 12 months is between 47 and 72%, the tank method between 71 and 86%.

From this follows the most important point of this comparison: A higher starting value is quickly depleted. Measured using the same method, an oil starting with 30% more polyphenols has lost its lead after about 10 months in a dark bottle and after about 4 months under store lighting. Even a starting value twice as high is caught up after about 9 months on an illuminated shelf.

An example using the same measurement method: Oil A starts with 1,300 mg/kg and is bottled classically, Oil B starts with 954 mg/kg and is bottled monthly from the tank. After 12 months, both are at around 760 mg/kg – despite Oil A's 36% higher starting value. If Oil A stands on an illuminated shelf, it is down to only about 410 mg/kg.

Important: This is a model, not a measurement of individual products. It shows the scale of the impact of storage and timing of bottling. How quickly a specific oil degrades also depends on the variety, fatty acid profile, and starting value. Other producers also store their oil under nitrogen in tanks and bottle on demand, for example Finca La Torre; the logic applies to every oil, not just Solio.

How to recognize a good polyphenol-rich olive oil

1. Measurement method stated: NMR, HPLC, or Folin-Ciocalteu. Without a method, a number is hard to categorize.
2. Public lab report: including lab, date, and harvest. The value on the website should match the report.
3. Harvest year: The value must refer to the harvest you are purchasing, not the previous year.
4. Bottling date and storage: When was it bottled, and how is the oil stored until then? The less time the oil spends in the bottle, the more reaches you.
5. Dark glass and a quantity that you will consume in a few weeks. Read more: Storing olive oil correctly and How long does olive oil last?

Where Solio stands in this comparison

Solio is a Coratina oil from Apulia. Measured by HPLC, it contains 954 mg/kg of polyphenols (ChemiService, test report 2530163 dated 28.10.2025, shortly after harvest). This makes it one of the highest publicly verified HPLC values in this comparison, but not the highest absolute number; those come from NMR measurements. Our oil is stored airtight and cooled in a stainless steel tank in Apulia until bottling and is freshly bottled every month. View lab report.

Coratina from Apulia in direct comparison

The fairest way to compare is by looking at oils of the same variety from the same region. Two Coratina oils from Apulia publish a lab report – albeit using different measurement methods:

	Solio	Sunday Natural Premium Polyphenol
Polyphenols according to lab report	954 mg/kg	910 mg/kg (advertised: 733 mg/kg)
Measurement method	HPLC	NMR
Public lab report	Yes (ChemiService 2530163, 28.10.2025, harvest 2025)	Yes (World Olive Center for Health C2425-00774, 05.06.2025, no information on harvest and variety)
Fresh bottling from tank verified	✓ monthly	✗ not stated
Price per 100 ml	from €9.72 (1 l subscription) · €11.60 (single bottle)	€11.96 (single bottle)

The two numbers are not directly comparable: NMR detects different compounds than HPLC and usually provides higher values for the same oil – for P.J. Kabos "Phenolic Shot," for example, 1,473 mg/kg via NMR compared to 995 mg/kg via HPLC. The certificate from Sunday Natural is from June 2025, i.e., from the time before the 2025 harvest.

Status: October 4, 2026, information according to manufacturers and published lab reports. Sunday Natural is certified organic.

FAQ

Which olive oil is the best?

That depends on the goal. For everyday use, an error-free extra virgin olive oil without contaminants is the best choice; tests like those from Stiftung Warentest are helpful here. If you are looking for an olive oil with as many polyphenols as possible, you should pay attention to the measurement method, public lab report, harvest year, and freshness. A single "best" olive oil does not exist.

Which olive oil is the best according to Stiftung Warentest?

In their 2/2026 test of 25 extra virgin olive oils, only 4 oils received the grade "good"; according to media reports, an organic olive oil from Alnatura performed the best (good, 2.3). 8 oils were "poor," primarily due to sensory defects and contaminants. Polyphenols were not evaluated in the test.

Which olive oil has the most polyphenols in Europe?

In our comparison, the highest publicly certified value of the 2025/26 harvest is Pamako from Crete with 2,081 mg/kg, measured by NMR at the University of Athens. Among the oils measured by HPLC, the highest published values are around 1,000 mg/kg, for example, P.J. Kabos with 995 mg/kg (manufacturer's statement) and Solio with 954 mg/kg (public lab report). A "best" oil cannot be crowned because NMR and HPLC values are not comparable.

Can you compare NMR and HPLC values?

No, not directly. NMR measures six specific polyphenols, while the IOC-HPLC method measures all biophenols as tyrosol equivalents. For the same oil, NMR usually provides higher values; no fixed conversion factor exists.

How quickly does olive oil lose its polyphenols?

In a sealed bottle at room temperature in the dark, typically 30–55% in the first year. Stored in a cool place, about half as fast, and significantly faster under light.

What is the benefit of olive oil being bottled monthly?

The oil spends most of its time dark, cool, and airtight in the tank rather than in the bottle on a shelf. According to our model, after 12 months, about 80% of the original polyphenols reach you, compared to about 58% with one-time bottling and dark storage. The degradation rate in the tank is an assumption because there are no published measurements for this.

At what value is olive oil considered polyphenol-rich?

For the EU health claim, an olive oil needs at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and derivatives per 20 g, i.e., around 250 mg/kg. Olive oil polyphenols help protect blood lipids from oxidative stress; the positive effect is achieved with a daily intake of 20 g of olive oil. A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important. Researchers from the University of Athens suggest only calling it "high-phenolic" starting above 500 mg/kg so that the oil still reaches the 250 mg/kg after 12 months (Diamantakos et al. 2021).

Which measurement method does the EU prescribe?

None. Regulation (EU) No. 432/2012 only specifies the minimum amount. In practice, HPLC, HPLC after hydrolysis, LC-MS/MS, and NMR are used.

Sources

Product information and lab certificates (retrieved on October 3, 2026): Websites of manufacturers and retailers as well as the published certificates from the World Olive Center for Health / University of Athens (C2526-00362, C2526-00188, C2526-00137, C2425-00804, C2526-00855). Prices vary by retailer and bottle size, converted to 100 ml.

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