Nearly 70% of house brand avocado oil rancid or mixed with other oils

A UC Davis study finds that most private label avocado oils are either rancid or adulterated. There are no enforceable standards for avocado oil yet. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Researchers identify key markers to help trade buyers choose genuine products

Avocado oil has become a popular choice for many people in recent years due to its heart-healthy benefits and versatility in the kitchen. However, not all avocado oil products on store shelves are created equal. Some products are labeled as "pure" avocado oil when they contain other oils or additives. There are no applicable standards yet that define the chemical and physical characteristics of avocado oil.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis analyzed samples of 36 private label avocado oils and ranked them based on quality and purity. Private label products are manufactured by a third-party processor and sold under a grocery or retailer brand label. Their findings, published in the journal Food Control, show that 31% of the samples tested were pure and 36% were of advertised quality. Quality indicates whether the oil is fresh or has deteriorated due to aging, heat or exposure to light. For purity, researchers measured fatty acids, sterols, and other components that differentiate avocado oil from other oils.

The study involved oils purchased from 19 retailers in the United States and Canada at various price points. They found that cheaper oils were more susceptible to contamination from other oils.

"We found that low-priced products indicated a higher likelihood of adulteration, but high cost did not guarantee purity or quality," said Selina Wang, associate professor of cooperative extension in the Department of Science. and food technologies. She and UC Davis postdoctoral fellow Hilary Green co-authored the paper.

Researchers have also identified certain chemical markers in avocado oil that professional buyers can use to make more informed decisions when choosing suppliers. This way, consumers can have confidence in the products they buy.

This is the second comprehensive study conducted by UC Davis researchers on the quality of avocado oil sold in the United States. The first study published in 2020 found that many test samples were of poor quality, mislabeled or adulterated with other oils.< /p>

"This study demonstrates that although progress has been made in developing standards since our first market study in 2020, there are still issues of purity in avocado oil and these issues range from significantly to private label oils," Wang said.

Avocado Oil Standards

Since the publication of the first UC Davis study, Wang said there has been a coordinated effort by researchers, industry leaders and government agencies to establish enforceable standards. The Avocado Oil Expert Panel was formed in conjunction with the American Oil Chemists' Society to discuss potential standards and future research projects.

Wang's research group investigated how natural factors such as different types of avocados, harvest times, geographical origins, and processing methods could affect the chemical composition of avocado oil. They want to create standards that will accommodate natural variation while detecting tampering.

Wang hopes the study's findings will help set standards that will benefit both consumers and producers of avocado oil who want to compete in a fair market.

“I am very optimistic about the future of the avocado oil industry,” Wang said. “It is a high value product with high consumer demand, similar to what I saw with olive oil 10 years ago. The quality and purity of olive oil is are vastly improved, and that's where I see avocado oil going, if we can set fair standards and weed out fraudulent products."

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Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Food

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