Food Fraud: Avocado Oil Now Also Tainted!

According to a new UC Davis study, 82 per cent of avocado oils sold in the U.S. had either gone off prior to their best-before dates or had been cut with cheaper fats.

A vast body of evidence shows many health benefits of Avocado oil — improved heart health, lessened arthritis symptoms, stroke, diabetes, gum disease prevention. But when it comes to purity and quality, a new study conducted at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) found that “the vast majority” of avocado oils sold in the U.S. fall far short of the quality advertised.

Most Avocado oils - at least 82 percent of test samples - were either stale before their expiration date, poor quality, mislabeled or adulterated with other oils. In some samples, bottles labeled as “pure” or “extra virgin” avocado oil contained near 100 percent soybean oil, a low grade, unhealthy oil commonly used in processed foods. This of course has made them nothing more than inflammatory junk food.

What is going on with our food supply? Standards are dropping to a shockingly low level because our governments don’t test imported foods vigorously. Most people who buy these supposedly higher quality oils desire the health benefits they give, and are willing to pay more for the product. They trust our governments to protect them from shady practices, but now we find that such protection is severely lacking; no standards are set to determine if an avocado oil is of the quality and purity advertised, and no one is regulating false or misleading labels.

Food fraud isn’t just about being swindled — paying for something you’re not getting — it also presents food safety risks, says the National Post. Let’s say you’re allergic to peanuts and unwittingly buy an avocado oil that has been cut with less expensive peanut oil. A fraudster’s desire for profit can present very real health issues when foods are tainted with hidden allergens, pathogenic bacteria or toxic chemicals.

It’s not only avocado oil that presents an opportunity for cheats. Last year, the CFIA warned Canadians to beware of fake olive oil. I wrote about this in another article a while back. Read it here - Are 80% Of Olive Oils Fake?

This is no small matter. Consumers pay taxes to ensure quality oversight from retailers, producers throughout the food industry. When you go to the store, you’re buying (based on) what’s on the label. You should be able to trust that labelling and get the product reflected on it. Is this like the Olive oil industry where the mafia has their hands all over it? Who knows?

Here are some tips to determine if Avocado oil is of sufficient quality:

• Authentic, fresh, virgin avocado oil generally tastes grassy, buttery and a little bit like mushrooms.

• Virgin avocado oil should be green in color, while refined avocado oil is light yellow and almost clear due to pigments removed during refining.

• Since oils become rancid over time, purchase a reasonable size that can be finished before the oil oxidizes. Store the oil away from light and heat in a cool, dark cabinet is a good choice.  Rancid oil will start smell stale, sort of like play dough.

• When possible, choose an oil that’s closest to the harvest/production time to ensure maximum freshness. The “best before date” is not always a reliable indicator of quality.

Having said this, it’s still a guessing game as to whether you’re getting 100% Avocado oil as advertised. Not everyone has the same nose for smells, eyes can judge oil color differently and labels can be gamed. The best way to ensure a good quality oil is to buy the oils that guarantee what you’re asking for - good health.

Here are some sites that rate avocado oils in order:

1. The Cooking Bar.com - 17 best Avocado oils

2. Kitchensurfing.com - 5 Best Avocado Oils for your Kitchen

3. StudyFinds.org - Top 5 Brands Most Recommended By Experts

4. ChefsPencil.com - Best 15 Avocado Oils (Reviewed!)

5. BestReviews.com - 4 Best Avocado oils

Look, I’ll be honest. The Avocado oil market is still emerging and that’s why I thought it would last longer without being tainted. I was wrong! And because of it being newer, it’s easier to get reviews than to find sites where to trace these oils to origin. In my previous post, I was able to do this with Olive oil:

If you truly seek the healthiest oils, here is a website that showcases the world’s best olive oils.

Remember, there are other oils that are healthy:

1. Black seed oil

2. Omega 3 oil

3. Coconut oil

4. Cod liver oil

5. Chia seeds

6. Flax seeds

For now, do your due diligence with Avocado oils. If you feel one is off, don’t consume it. If you don’t trust the market at all, avoid it. But there are 4-5 top brands that should be safe still, as in my links provided.