Mechanochemical production of olive oil based composites

Olive oil, a natural extract of the O. europaea plant, is an ancient product of the Mediterranean Sea area, used for food, illumination, medicine and cosmetics. Olive oil contains glycerides of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, as well as free acids, and a large number of other biologically active components. The modern cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries are turning to natural herbal sources, including O. europaea, in order to find effective, low allergic and non-irritating components for creams, ointments and other products. In this chapter we report on the mechanochemical treatment of olive oil mixed with talc or titanium dioxide, the solid ingredient of creams, ointments and powders, and with solid ascorbic acid. It was shown by FTIR spectroscopy that olive oil components attach to solid supports by covalent bonding or by adsorption. New olive oil based composites produced by a fast and "green" mechanochemical method can serve as active agents for cosmetic and drug compositions.