Olive oil and herbs, two key components of the Mediterranean diet, are known for their beneficial effects on humans. In our study, we incorporated aromatic and medicinal herbs into local monovarietal olive oils via maceration procedures for enrichment. We identified the herbal-derived ingredients that migrate to olive oils and contribute positively to their total phenolic content and functional properties, such as radical scavenging activity. Thus, we characterized the essential oil composition of the aromatic herbs (GC-MS), and we determined the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the additives and the virgin olive oils before and after enrichment. The herbal phenolic compounds were analyzed by LC-LTQ/Orbitrap HRMS. We found that olive oils infused with Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum, Rosmarinus officinalis and Salvia triloba obtained an increased phenolic content, by approximately 1.3 to 3.4 times, in comparison with the untreated ones. Infusion with S. triloba led to a significantly higher antioxidant capacity. Rosmarinic acid, as well as phenolic glucosides, identified in the aromatic herbs, were not incorporated into olive oils due to their high polarity. In contrast, phenolic aglycones and diterpenes from R. officinalis and S. triloba migrated to the enriched olive oils, leading to a significant increase in their phenolic content and to an improvement in their free radical scavenging capacity.

There is a growing interest in using essential oils with phytoprotectant properties instead of synthetic pesticides to mitigate the risks of insect pesticide resistance, environmental harm, and adverse effects on non-target organisms and human health. This study focused on the effects of Coridothymus capitatus essential oil on host selection, settling behaviour, and survival of Macrosiphoniella sanborni in dual-choice and no-choice tests. The essential oil and methanol extract of C. capitatus were analyzed using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LTQ-LC-MS Orbitrap), respectively. The antioxidant activity was also tested through the radical scavenging assay. The settling inhibitory activity in the dual-choice test increased dose-dependently from 60% to 72% for essential oil concentrations of 0.1 to 0.3% (v/v) for up to 120 min exposure, but decreased thereafter. However, under no-choice conditions, the inhibitory effect after 60 min of exposure was inversely proportional to the concentration but became proportional by the end of the experiment (72 h). After 72 h, both assays produced a mortality rate of 15% to 17%. C. capitatus was classified as a Carvacrol chemotype. Fifteen phenolic compounds were identified in the MeOH extract, and both the extract and essential oil exhibited substantial antioxidant activity. In conclusion, our findings indicate that C. capitatus essential oil affects the behaviour and survival of M. sanborni.