On todays This Land of Ours program, Cathy Isom lets you know what a recent study is revealing about a popular cooking oil that boasts healthful benefits.
Consumer demand is rising for all things avocado, including oil made from the fruit. Avocado oil is a great source of vitamins, minerals and the type of fats associated with reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. But according to a recent study led by food science experts at the University of California, Davis, the vast majority of avocado oil sold in the United States is of poor quality, mislabeled or adulterated with other oils.
Researchers report that at least 82 percent of test samples were either stale before expiration date or mixed with other oils. In three cases, bottles labeled as “pure” or “extra virgin” avocado oil contained near 100 percent soybean oil, an oil commonly used in processed foods that’s much less expensive to produce. Roughly 22 domestic and imported avocado oil samples were analyzed.
Consumers are encouraged to choose an oil that’s closest to the harvest/production time to ensure maximum freshness. Oil that is rancid usually gives off an odor similar to that of Play-doh.
The study is published in the Journal Food Control.
Listen to Cathy Isom’s report below.