Indicators of Adulterated Avocado Oil to Help Industry Determine Authenticity
After finding nearly 70 percent of private-label avocado oils to be rancid or adulterated, researchers at University of California, Davis (UC Davis) have identified key markers to help the retail food industry source authentic product.
As avocado oil is relatively new as a commercially popular product, standards for the commodity are still being formed by Codex Alimentarius. Because the standards-setting process takes time, and the standards for refined avocado oil are still being finalized while a separate set of standards for virgin/extra virgin will may be required, the present study was conducted to determine the quality and purity of avocado oils on the market and how they relate to proposed Codex standards and pure samples in literature. The present study also builds upon previous research conducted in 2020 by UC Davis researchers on the quality of avocado oil sold in the U.S., which found many test samples to be of poor quality, mislabeled, or adulterated.