UC Davis study finds most avocado oil foods are mislabeled

UC Davis research published in Applied Food Research examines 54 packaged foods marketed with avocado oil and finds 48 are not consistent with the label. Chips, mayonnaise and salad dressings are among the products tested, and about 89% of the avocado-oil-labeled processed foods contain other oils even when avocado oil is listed.

The findings land in a market where the label carries a steep premium. One description of the category puts the markup at roughly 500% for products promoted as “Made With Avocado Oil,” a price gap that depends on shoppers believing they are buying a cleaner, more desirable ingredient.

The latest paper extends a warning UC Davis has already been sounding about the avocado oil business. A 2023 study found nearly 70% of private-label avocado oils were rancid or mixed with other oils, and earlier UC Davis findings identified some bottles labeled as avocado oil that contained no avocado oil at all. Together, the studies point to a category where the promise on the front label can diverge sharply from what is inside the bottle or the packaged food.

Researchers say the issue is bigger than one snack or condiment. The problem points to supply-chain authenticity gaps and weak oversight in specialty oils, where ingredient claims can travel farther than verification. The authors say ingredient-level testing is needed for products that claim to use avocado oil, a step that would put pressure on brands and retailers to prove the contents before charging premium prices.