## 1 Introduction  
Virgin olive oils (VOOx) are oils obtained from the fruit of the olive tree (_Olea europaea_ L.) solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions that do not lead to alterations in the oil [1]. Based on a series of chemical parameters and the presence or absence (and intensity) of certain sensory attributes (e.g., positive fruity notes and sensory defects),VOOx are commercially classified into extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), virgin olive oil (VOO), or lampante virgin olive oil (LVOO) [2; 3]. Among these, EVOO represents the highest quality category, encompassing all VOOx that are free from sensory defects and possess a perceptible fruity note. EVOO includes both oils from various botanical and geographical origins, which differ in intensity of sensory attributes (e.g., fruitiness, bitterness, pungency), and oils with distinct sensory and nutraceutical profiles. These variations depend, for instance, on the degree of olive ripeness, cultivar, and geographical origin. Thus, assessing the overall quality of an oil requires considering not only its commercial classification, but also its sensory and nutritional properties. Given the increasing consumer demand for high-quality, traceable, and health-promoting EVOOs, as well as the need for more precise valorization of local productions, advancing knowledge on the chemical, sensory, and nutraceutical attributes of olive oils from specific territories is of both scientific and socio-economic relevance. Breakthroughs in current global research on virgin olive oil quality include advanced analytical techniques for authentication and quality control [4; 5], studying the influence of cultivar, terror, and agronomic practices on oil quality [6; 7], evaluating health-related functional compounds [8; 9; 10], innovations in shelf-life and packaging [11], and regulatory and standardization advances. The nutritional benefits of EVOO are well documented in the literature [12; 13; 14]. Based on scientific evidence, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved health claims related to EVOO [15; 16], including claims regarding tocopherols and unsaturated fatty acids (also found in other foods), as well as a specific health claim for phenolic compounds in virgin olive oil [17]. Nevertheless, these claims are still rarely used by EVOO producers and bottlers, mainly because they are considered insufficiently clear or understandable to consumers [14]. To address this, a Nutritional Value Score (\(NVS\)) has been recently proposed, using an algorithm to assess the nutritional value of EVOO on a scale from 1 to 100, based on chemical analysis data [10]. The sensory and nutritional quality of EVOO primarily depends on several compounds not currently considered by the EU Regulation for commercial classification. These include phenolic compounds (PCs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and tocopherols. PCs are primarily composed of secorifold derivatives, formed after the de-glycosation of oleuppein and ligstroside by \(\beta\)-glucosidase during olive milling. Other PCs include lignans and small amounts of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and phenolic alcohols [18; 19; 20; 21], VOCs represent a highly complex group of hundreds of compounds, including alcohols, esters/lactones, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, hydrocarbons, terpenes, and furans. Their concentration varies and significantly contributes to both positive (primarily via lipoxygenase pathway (LOX) products and terpenes) or negative sensory attributes in VOO [5; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26; 27]. Tocopherols (Vitamin E) exist in four isoforms (i.e., \(\alpha\), \(\beta\), \(\gamma\), \(\delta\)), with \(\alpha\)-tocopherol being the predominant form in VOO [28; 29]. The profile of these compounds, and thus the sensory and nutritional quality of EVOO, is influenced by numerous factors, including botanical and geographical origin. Consequently, an increasing number of consumers are willing to pay a premium for oils with a recognized origin [30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36].