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Choosing products made with avocado oil doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting pure avocado oil. A new study found thatnearly 9 in 10 processed foods labeled as containing avocado oil also contained cheaper oils even though those oils weren’t listed on the ingredient label.
Chemical testing found signs of other oils in 93% of the chips, 71% of the mayonnaise products, and 100% of the salad dressings tested, raising questions about the authenticity of avocado oil used in processed foods. When consumers pay a premium for avocado or olive oil, they have a right to expect those oils are actually in the products they buy. Food manufacturers likewise need assurance that the ingredients coming from their suppliers are genuine.
Cheaper refined seed oils, including soybean, sunflower, safflower, and canola, were the main oils detected in the adulterated products. Avocado oil costs considerably more to produce than these common seed oils, and the FDA currently has no enforceable standards defining what qualifies as avocado oil or how it must be labeled.
Oil authenticity was assessed using fatty acid and sterol profiles that provide a chemical profile for edible oils. Researchers then simulated frying and emulsification to see whether processing could change those profiles. The laboratory experiments produced only minor changes, indicating that normal food processing was unlikely to account for the differences.
Some companies may unknowingly be using adulterated oil in their products. Because manufacturers often purchase oils through brokers or from several suppliers, problems can go unnoticed without regular testing. The source of the adulteration can be especially difficult to identify when the oil has passed through multiple layers of the supply chain.
The authenticity of oils used as ingredients in processed foods has received relatively little attention. More testing and monitoring could help ensure accurate labeling and give consumers greater confidence in products marketed with premium oil claims.
To view the original scientific study click below:
Authenticity of avocado and olive oils used as ingredients in commercially processed foods
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