Olive oil has long been linked with lower levels of cholesterol , blood pressure and a multitude of other health benefits . And while food companies have attempted to get it into the diets of more people by adding it to margarine , a team of scientists has gone a step further . The Italian researchers have discovered a way to convert the liquid state of extra virgin olive oil into a gel , without the need for other solids . Italian researchers have discovered a way to convert the liquid state of extra virgin olive oil into a gel , without the need for other solids . The so-called Gel Oil comes in different flavours ( shown above ) Known as Gel Oil , the food scientists said it can be added to salads and sandwiches , used in cooking and can be flavoured . Variations include lemon and basil . Olive oil ( pictured ) has long been linked with lower levels of cholesterol , blood pressure and a multitude of other health benefits . The discovery was made by 10 chemical engineers from the Italian University of Calabria in the southern town of Arcavacata . They used a technique called 'organogelazione ' which involves subjecting the properties of certain molecules known in the food industry , such as emulsifiers , to a range of temperatures . When these molecules are heated and mixed they were found to form new structures . The university 's food engineering department headed by Professor Bruno de Cindio said : 'In this network structure , the oil remains 'trapped ' within the changing texture and transforms itself , in the first stage , into a gel form and , in a second stage , into a creamy spreadable paste . ' He added that said that this also means it can be produced in various consistencies from a slightly stickier version ideal for dressing salads and other foods to a more solid variation that can be spread like margarine or butter on bread . The innovation has been patented and the team said it sees huge potential particularly among people with dietary restrictions or moral objections to dairy products such as vegans . The team are now hoping to create a company to sell Gel Oil and already developing variations flavoured with lemon and basil . Valeria Greco , one of the researchers of the team , said : 'Our idea certainly meets the needs of a new customer profile . 'People are increasingly being forced to have fast food meals and that means ready to eat products , but at the same time there is reluctance to compromise on quality and taste and our product very much caters to this market . ' Scientists have found olive oil could cut your heart attack risk in just six weeks . The study published in November by the University of Glasgow , found that regular consumption of olive oil dramatically improved chemical signals in the body linked to coronary artery disease . It added just 20mls a day – about four teaspoons - to the diet of healthy adults , which is the amount used in a salad dressing or mopped up by bread during a meal . But a range of signals for heart disease measured in the urine improved in only six weeks , according to the report published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . Scientists have found olive oil could cut your heart attack risk in just six weeks . The study , by the University of Glasgow , found that found regular consumption of olive oil ( pictured ) dramatically improved chemical signals in the body linked to coronary artery disease . Researchers at the Universities of Glasgow and Lisbon and private firm Mosaiques Diagnostics in Germany investigated the effect of olive oil on heart health in a group of 69 men and women who did not normally eat it . The volunteers were split into two groups and asked to consume 20mls of olive oil either low or high in phenolics every day over a six-week period . Phenolics are natural compounds found in plants , including olives , thought to be responsible for the protective effect of olive oil . The research team applied a new diagnostic technology by examining urine samples for a range of peptides ( produced by the breakdown of proteins ) already identified as biomarkers of diseases such as coronary artery disease ( CAD ) . Known as proteomics , the technology can pick up altered levels of certain proteins which suggest early signs of disease before symptoms appear . The results showed both groups saw a big improvement in scores for CAD – the most common form of heart disease . Dr Emilie Combet of the School of Medicine at Glasgow University , said ‘ What we found was that regardless of the phenolic content of the oil , there was a positive effect on CAD scores . ‘ Any olive oil , low or high in phenolics , seems to be beneficial . ‘ Our study was a supplementation study . If people in the UK replaced part of their fat intake with olive oil , it could have an ever greater effect on reducing the risk of heart disease . ’
Engineers at the University of Calabria , Italy , created the bright gel . The experts heated and mixed molecules to make the new product . Mosaiques Diagnostics comes in different consistencies and flavours like basil and lemon . It could be used for salad dressings as well as a sandwich spread .