Oleaphen Signs the Lisbon Manifesto on Olive Oil and Public Health
Oleaphen, a Cypriot producer of ultra-high polyphenol extra virgin olive oil, has signed the Lisbon Manifesto, "Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Scientific Evidence for Global Health". The Manifesto was drawn up after the second Olive Oil World Congress, held in Lisbon on 2 and 3 July 2026. It has been endorsed so far by more than 60 organisations from 18 countries, including universities, research centres, farmers' organisations and two government ministries. Oleaphen is the signatory from Cyprus.
The document sets out the scientific consensus on extra virgin olive oil and human health. It calls on governments, international organisations and health systems to integrate extra virgin olive oil into their strategies for preventing chronic non-communicable diseases. The Olive Oil World Congress is submitting it to the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Pan American Health Organization.
What does the Lisbon Manifesto say about olive oil and health?
The Manifesto draws on the PREDIMED and PREDIMED-Plus trials, research presented at the Sixth International Congress on Olive Oils and Health in Jaén in June 2026, reports from the International Olive Council and scientific opinions from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These are its main findings.
Heart health
The Manifesto points to PREDIMED, the largest clinical trial ever conducted on the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular health, which followed more than 7,000 participants for nearly five years. A Mediterranean diet enriched with extra virgin olive oil reduced the combined risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death by approximately 30% compared with a control diet. The signatories describe this as the most robust scientific basis available for recommending extra virgin olive oil as the principal source of fat in a heart-protective diet. The Manifesto also notes that EFSA has recognised that olive oil polyphenols help protect LDL cholesterol particles from oxidative damage, a key process in the development of atherosclerosis.
Polyphenols, oleocanthal and inflammation
According to the Manifesto, the benefits of extra virgin olive oil go beyond its fatty acid profile. Its polyphenols, including oleocanthal, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties supported by a growing body of research. The signatories state that regular consumption of oleocanthal-rich extra virgin olive oil, as part of a Mediterranean diet, may help reduce the risk of conditions linked to chronic inflammation.
Cancer
The Manifesto cites a substantial body of research associating extra virgin olive oil consumption with a lower risk of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. The proposed mechanisms, drawn mainly from experimental and observational studies, include the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells and the protection of DNA against oxidative damage. Public health bodies are asked to consider the role of extra virgin olive oil in primary cancer prevention.
Diabetes and metabolic health
Regular consumption may improve insulin sensitivity, lower fasting blood glucose and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, conditions that affect more than 500 million people worldwide. The signatories call for extra virgin olive oil to be actively promoted among populations at risk.
Brain health
The Manifesto describes neurological health as a new research frontier. Evidence presented in Jaén in June 2026, at a congress co-organised by the Universities of Jaén and Navarra and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, highlights the neuroprotective potential of extra virgin olive oil. Recent studies suggest that oleocanthal may help reduce the build-up of amyloid and tau proteins in the brain, both central to Alzheimer's disease.
The signatories are clear that much of the cancer and brain research is still observational or laboratory-based, and they ask for more funding to take it further. All of the Manifesto's recommendations sit within the recommended limits for total fat intake.
What the Lisbon Manifesto asks governments to do
The signatories call for specific, quantified recommendations on extra virgin olive oil in national and international dietary guidelines, as the preferred source of healthy fat. They ask for more funding for research into neuroprotection, cancer prevention, metabolic health and healthy longevity, and for training doctors, nurses, dietitians and pharmacists on the benefits of extra virgin olive oil and the quality criteria those benefits depend on.
On quality, the Manifesto calls for control, authenticity and traceability systems that pay particular attention to polyphenol content, standardised analytical methods for measuring polyphenols, and polyphenol information on labels. It also asks for extra virgin olive oil to be used in hospitals, care homes, school canteens and primary care centres, and for the WHO, FAO and PAHO to formally recognise it as a functional food of significance to global public health.
Why polyphenol measurement matters
Several of the Manifesto's requests come back to one point: the health value of extra virgin olive oil depends heavily on its polyphenols, and polyphenol content varies enormously from one oil to another. EU grading rules for extra virgin olive oil check acidity, oxidation markers and a tasting panel, but they do not require polyphenols to be measured. The EU health claim for olive oil polyphenols, authorised under Regulation (EU) 432/2012, applies to oils that provide at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g.
How that figure is measured matters as much as the figure itself. The only official reference method is the International Olive Council's HPLC method, COI/T.20/Doc. No 29, carried out by IOC-accredited laboratories. It is the method the EU health claim relies on. Other techniques are also in use, some of which are not recognised by the IOC or EFSA, and they can return much higher totals for the same oil. Those numbers cannot be compared with results obtained by the official method, yet they sometimes appear in marketing as if they could. For consumers, this makes polyphenol claims on the market very hard to compare.
This is why the Manifesto's call for standardised analytical methods matters. Once one agreed method applies to everyone, polyphenol figures on labels will mean the same thing from one producer to the next, and inflated numbers will have nowhere to hide.
Polyphenols also break down with heat, light and oxygen from the moment the oil leaves the mill, so a figure is only useful if it still holds when the oil reaches the consumer. For that reason Oleaphen seals its oil without oxygen in 5 ml monodoses and keeps it in a cold chain from the mill to delivery. Independent laboratory results for each harvest are published on the Oleaphen lab analysis page.
Why the Lisbon Manifesto matters for Cyprus
Cypriot olive oils consistently test among the highest in polyphenols in the world, the result of the island's climate, terroir and the genetics of its olive trees. A Cypriot harvest in 2018 set the world record for polyphenol concentration. Cyprus will never compete with the large producing countries on volume, so the Manifesto's focus on quality, polyphenol content and labelling plays directly to the island's strengths.
What happens next
As a signatory, Oleaphen has committed to presenting the Manifesto to the Cypriot authorities, including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, and to supporting the actions it sets out. The Olive Oil World Congress will bring all signatories together in January to review progress. The Manifesto remains open for endorsement by any organisation that shares its principles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Lisbon Manifesto?
The Lisbon Manifesto, "Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Scientific Evidence for Global Health", is a declaration drawn up after the second Olive Oil World Congress in Lisbon on 2 and 3 July 2026. It sets out the scientific consensus on extra virgin olive oil and human health and calls on governments, international organisations and health systems to integrate extra virgin olive oil into strategies for preventing chronic non-communicable diseases.
Who has signed the Lisbon Manifesto?
More than 60 organisations from 18 countries have signed the Lisbon Manifesto, including universities, research centres, farmers' organisations, olive oil sector bodies and two government ministries. Oleaphen is the signatory from Cyprus.
Where can I read the Lisbon Manifesto?
The full text of the Lisbon Manifesto and the list of signatories are published by the Olive Oil World Congress at oliveoilworldcongress.com/lisbon-manifesto.
About Oleaphen
Oleaphen is a Cypriot producer of ultra-high polyphenol extra virgin olive oil, with polyphenol levels among the highest in the world. Oleaphen works with research institutions, and its oil is currently being used in clinical trials. Read about our 2025-2026 harvest results.
