K A S H R U T . C O M_©

August 27, 2024 from Washington Post:

"Scientists at the University of California at Davis tested avocado oil samples, and have for the first time revealed the names of a dozen retailers who they say sold products labeled as avocado oil that contained cheap seed and vegetable oils, including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger and Safeway. The companies didn’t respond to requests for comment.

"The researchers found that at least 21 of the products labeled as avocado oil — nearly two-thirds of the 36 bottles they tested— were adulterated, in some cases with other oils that could pose a hazard to people with food sensitivities. The newly released findings are based on tests conducted in 2021 on bottles of store-brand avocado oil purchased from 19 large grocery stores in the United States and Canada.

"Other retailers whose products failed testing said they couldn’t verify findings based on bottles of oil tested in 2020 or 2021. Some retailers confirmed they don’t do their own testing and instead rely on suppliers and third-party services to verify the purity of the oil.

"The UC-Davis research suggested that low-priced avocado oils were the most likely to be adulterated. Most major retailers do not produce their own avocado oil, and instead buy it from suppliers, bottle it and put their store labels on it.

"Much of the avocado oil sold by retailers is “refined,” which means it’s a lower-quality, highly-processed oil that is bleached, deodorized and filtered. (Virgin and extra virgin oils are “unrefined” and typically pressed from high-quality avocados without using heat or chemicals.)

"Some suppliers and producers said it’s an open secret that adulteration is rampant in the avocado oil industry. Ben Barnard, the founder and chairman of AvoPacific, one of the largest avocado oil producers in North America, said he has seen competitors selling refined avocado oil to retailers for prices so low that it would not be possible for them to make a profit if their avocado oil was real.

"The company said that most of its oil is sold under its own label, AvoPacific. In 2020, UC-Davis tested an AvoPacific oil sold under the brand name “CalPure Extra Virgin Avocado Oil,” and it passed their tests.

"The tests showed that six retailers — Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Metro, Meijer and Kroger — sold bottles labeled as avocado oil that contained high levels of oleic sunflower or safflower oils. These oils are less expensive than avocado oil and have different health and culinary properties. At Target and Sprouts, the researchers found bottles of store-brand avocado oil that their tests indicated contained canola oil, a less expensive cooking oil.

"In some cases, the tests showed that bottles labeled avocado oil contained other oils that could not be identified. The researchers said they found that sunflower, safflower, canola, and soybean oils were the most common adulterants in products labeled as avocado oil. These oils look similar to refined avocado oil but are cheaper to make.

"Price was not always a reliable indicator of adulteration. One of the most expensive products included in the study was Stop & Shop’s store-brand “extra-virgin” avocado oil, which sells for close to $9 for an 8.45-ounce bottle, or more than a dollar per ounce. The researchers tested two bottles of the product and found that both contained oils that were neither extra virgin nor avocado oil. It was unclear what type of oil or oils were in the bottles.

"Stop & Shop’s cold-pressed “Extra Virgin” avocado oil was the only extra-virgin oil in the study that was found to be adulterated with other oils.

"n general, retailers who responded to questions about the adulterated oils said it’s impossible for them to verify findings based on bottles of oil tested that were made in 2020 or 2021.

"In a statement, Stop & Shop said that the avocado oil included in the UC-Davis study was procured from a former supplier and that it is no longer available in its stores.

"Wang at UC-Davis said retailers should not rely solely on certifications from suppliers for products that are at high risk of being adulterated. 'Retailers should do their own testing to ensure that the label on the bottle is consistent with the product in the bottle,' she said.

"Wang said it was possible in cases where a retailer did its own independent testing that their results might differ from UC-Davis’s test results if different lots were tested or if the retailer used multiple suppliers. “We have observed significant differences in the quality and purity of oil from different lot numbers, even when sourced from the same retailer,” she added."

Source Papers:

• Nearly 70% of Private Label Avocado Oil Rancid or Mixed With Other Oils from UC Davis.