Building on our work on olive oil quality and authenticity, we published the first report evaluating the quality and purity of popular avocado oil brands sold in the US market in 2020. Afterwards, we received many messages from consumers inquiring about common store brands which were not included in our first study. So in 2023, we followed up with a second report that focused on the quality and purity of private labelled brands (i.e. store brands). Both studies demonstrate the avocado oil industry needs enforceable quality and purity standards so the label on a bottle matches with the actual content of the product.
We have been analyzing the chemical composition of authentic avocado oil, consisting of wide range of natural variables such as geographic origins, harvest time, fruit ripeness, varieties. This information is important for the development of an inclusive standards that can accommodate natural variances. At the same time, we are working on developing faster, better, and cheaper detection methods so it is easier to identify adulterants in the products.
We have formed an Avocado Oil Expert Group, in collaboration with the American Oil Chemists’ Society, to work on standards alignment and method development. Researchers and industry stakeholders are welcome to join. Please contact Denise Williams denise.williams@aocs.org if you would like to be included in our next meeting.
Avocado Oil Short Course
Publications
Some of our research findings are listed below:
Green, H. S.; Wang, S. C. Food Control 2023, 152, 109837 “Purity and quality of private labelled avocado oil”
Green, H. S.; Wang, S. C. Food Analytical Methods 2023, 16, 850-856. “Tandem Triacylglycerol (TAG) and PCA Adulteration Detection Approach for Avocado Oil”
Green, H. S.; Wang, S. C. Food Control 2023, 143, 109277 “Evaluation of proposed CODEX purity standards for avocado oil”
Green, H. S.; Wang, S. C. Food Chemistry Advances 2022, 1, 100107 “Cis-vaccenic acid: New marker to detect seed oil adulteration in avocado oil”
Green, H. S.; Wang, S. C. Applied Food Research 2022, 2(2), 100190 “Extra virgin grade avocado oil can be achieved using whole fruits or only mesocarp”
Green, H. S.; Wang, S. C. Food Control, 2020, 116, 107328: “First report on quality and purity evaluations of avocado oil sold in the US”