Is Your Avocado Oil Fake?
Shocking findings of a study done by the University of California-Davis (UCD) analyzing the quality of avocado oils currently on the market in the United States, highlighted rampant fraud in the food industry.
In the study, out of 22 avocado samples including both extra virgin and refined oils from six grocery stores (14 samples) and two online sources (eight samples) “at least 82 percent of test samples were either stale before the expiration date or mixed with large amounts of other oils,” a UCD report on the study noted.
UCD reported that only three brands produced samples that were pure avocado oil but one of those was rancid, meaning it was not as fresh and was oxidized.
Shocking Findings
As the world becomes more health conscious, people seek out healthier oils—and avocado oil has become more popular. The global demand for avocado oil has increased production of avocados by one million tons from 2014 to 2017 and is projected to continue rising with Mexico accounting for one-third of the world’s production.
But according to the UCD study, the increase in demand has brought many different manufacturers into the game and consumers are being misled.
In the study, 15 out of the 22 samples were oxidized before the expiration date, producing an unpleasant taste and odor making them unsuitable for consumption or use in cooking.
Oxidized avocado oil may also lose some of its nutritional value, including its antioxidant properties, and can lead to the formation of free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells and contribute to various health problems.
Even worse, six samples were mixed with large amounts of other oils, including sunflower, safflower, and soybean oil, and three of the 22 tested labeled as “pure” or “extra virgin” avocado oil contained nearly 100 percent soybean oil.
Research shows that soybean oil can not only lead to obesity and diabetes, but could also cause genetic changes in the brain, and affect neurological conditions like autism, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, and depression.
The study also found that the majority of the samples were of low quality with five of the seven oils labeled “extra virgin,” six of the nine labeled “refined,” and many samples labeled “virgin” having high free fatty acids (FFA) values.
Studies show that FFA can cause insulin resistance and is a major link between obesity, the development of metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerotic vascular disease. FFAs also produce low-grade inflammation in skeletal muscle and contribute to cardiovascular events.
In the study, researchers point out that the high FFA values seen in this study could indicate the use of unhealthy fruits that are damaged, bruised, overripe, and insect-infested. Also the prolonged time between harvest and processing, and overheating during processing contribute to high FFA.
Who Made the Cut?
Per the UCD report, only two brands tested that were pure and non-oxidized were both refined-grade avocado oils made in Mexico. The brands are Chosen Foods and Marianne’s Avocado Oil.
In the virgin grades, CalPure produced in California was pure and fresher than the other samples in the same grade.
Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology, Selina Wang, noted in the UCD report that because avocado oil is a newer product “the [U.S.] Food and Drug Administration has not yet adopted standards of identity, which are basic food standards designed to protect consumers from being cheated by inferior products or confused by misleading labels.”
The good news is that there are at least two options on the market that are pure, although they are “refined,” meaning the oil is extracted with heat or solvents to remove any flaws, whereas “virgin” is extracted from fresh fruit by “pressing.”
Tips for Finding Good Avocado Oil
The researchers did leave some tips for buying the best possible quality and avoiding rancid or fake oils in the UCD report. Here are a few that they suggested:
How do you know if your avocado oil is rancid?
Do a smell test. If it’s stale or going stale it’ll have a “play dough” like smell.
How do you know if your avocado oil is pure?
Virgin avocado oil should be “green” in color, and taste “grassy, buttery, and a little bit like mushrooms” (different regions may vary). Refined avocado oil is “light yellow and almost clear due to pigments removed during refining.”
Choose an oil that’s closest to the harvest/production time.
This will ensure maximum freshness but keep in mind the best-before date does not always indicate quality and freshness.
Store properly to extend shelf-life.
Light and heat speed up the oxidation process, so store in a cool dark place. Also, as all oils do go stale eventually, it’s best not to buy oil in bulk—buy a size that you can finish before it oxidizes.
