Most avocado oil is rancid or impure, experts warn

nutrition

To Mark Laranilla

May 25, 2023 | 5:44 PM

Avocado oil is often touted as a light, heart-healthy oil, but it usually has a dark, oily background.

A study from the University of California, Davis found that a whopping 69% of avocado oil sold in retail stores was adulterated with cheap oils and other impurities.

Additionally, many of the avocado oil samples tested showed high levels of oxidation, indicating that the oil was beginning to spoil.

Of the 29 refined avocado oil samples, only 3 met basic quality and purity criteria. The study authors contributed to the journal Food Control.

And it didn’t matter if consumers bought the expensive avocado oil or the cheaper brand.

“Lower-priced products indicate a higher likelihood of contamination, but higher prices do not guarantee purity or quality,” says Serina of the University of California, Davis School of Food Science and Technology.・Associate Professor Wang says: said in a statement Wednesday.

Common impurities added to avocado oil included sunflower oil, safflower oil, canola oil, and soybean oil, according to the study authors.

Avocado oil has grown in popularity in recent years due to its light, buttery flavor and many health benefits. Like olive oil, it is rich in oleic acid, a healthy monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. according to healthline.

Not only are they easy to cook because they have a high heat point and don’t burn easily, they’re also rich in antioxidants and vitamins A and E, which may help lower cholesterol levels and alleviate high blood pressure.

But the UC Davis findings highlight the need for additional safeguards and quality standards to ensure consumers get what they pay for.

“This study shows that despite progress in standard development, there are still problems with the purity of avocado oil, and these problems extend significantly to private-label oils,” Wang said.

Unfortunately, it’s not the first time in recent years that food manufacturers have been criticized for selling impure or even unsafe foods to consumers.

Chinese honey makers have been accused by the European Union of “honey laundering”, selling honey containing sweet syrups, artificial colors, water and, in some cases, lead and other dangerous heavy metals.

“It’s basically sugar water.” An EU official told the Financial Times.And that makes the price of honey so low that no honest European honey maker can compete.

So last month, EU officials proposed tough new labeling standards to combat the influx of cheap, impure honey from outside the EU.

Olive oil has also been the subject of much research recently. A 2018 investigation revealed that thousands of tons of cheap, low-quality olive oil from Spain and Greece were sold as expensive “Italian extra virgin” olive oil.

“America is a dumping ground for all wrongdoing.” An Olive Oil Expert Tells Forbes. “We do not have enough resources to manage the more than 350,000 tonnes of olive oil that flow into the country. is.”

Wang hopes the results of the avocado oil study will help establish standards that will benefit consumers as well as avocado oil producers who want to compete on a fair market.

“I am very optimistic about the future of the avocado oil industry,” Wang said. “This is a high-value product that is in high consumer demand and similar to what I saw in olive oil 10 years ago. If we can establish and weed out fraudulent products, we think avocado oil will go in this direction as well.”