Influence of genetic and interannual factors on the phenolic profiles of virgin olive oils

•Study of VOO phenolic variability in worldwide olive cultivars over three crop seasons.•Phenolic profiles of monovarietal VOO samples from 44 cultivars evaluated by LC–MS/MS.•Secoiridoids were the most concentrated phenols in olive oil.•Genotype was the main factor explaining VOO phenolic content but its influence was variable.•Three consistent clusters, related to phenolic profiles, were detected among the cultivars. Phenolic compounds in virgin olive oil (VOO) contribute to its health properties, organoleptic features and oxidative stability. In this study, a total of 44 olive tree cultivars categorized by the International Olive Council to be among the most internationally widespread varieties were exhaustively and homogenously evaluated by analysis of the VOO phenolic profile during three consecutive crop seasons. Differences among cultivars resulted in up to 15-fold variations in the total phenol concentration. The ‘cultivar’ factor contributed the most to the variance (66.8% for total phenolic concentration) for almost all the phenols. However, the ‘interannual variability’ factor and the interaction ‘cultivar x interannual variability’ exhibited significant influences on specific phenols. According to the phenolic profile of the VOOs, we determined the presence of three groups of cultivars marked by the predominance of secoiridoid derivatives, which supports the phenolic profile as a criterion to be considered in olive breeding programs.