The Science That Suggests You Might Want To Skip Aldi's Avocado Oil
Similar to olive oil, avocado oil has been touted as a better cooking alternative to vegetable oil or lard. Notably, it contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which the American Heart Association says can improve heart health. Avocado oil is also a source of vitamin E and other antioxidants and is known for its high smoke point, making it perfect for flash frying. However, you may want to reconsider buying avocado oil from Aldi.
According to a study by ConsumerLab.com (via the Motley Fool), Aldi's Simply Nature 100% Pure Avocado Oil isn't actually 100% avocado oil. In fact, several other avocado oils on the market also failed that test. In total, the organization tested 36 avocado oils, but only 11% passed its quality and purity tests. This is disappointing because in general, avocado oil is more expensive because a smaller amount is produced from processing avocados in comparison to some oils on the market.
The science behind the study
ConsumerLab.com tested avocado oils as well, including products sold by Whole Foods and Costco. For the test, the company tested the avocado oils on three primary criteria: acidity, fatty composition, and peroxide value. According to the study (via Motley Fool), Aldi's avocado oil failed the second criterion as its fatty composition differed from the New Zealand trade standard for the product. To ensure quality control, ConsumerLab.com had any products that failed one or more of its initial tests tested again by an independent lab to verify the same results.
It's actually not the first time that avocado oil has come under fire from the scientific community. In a 2020 Food Control study, University of California, Davis researchers determined that 82% of avocado oils on the market were either rancid or had been diluted with other oils. In more extreme cases, researchers from the organization found that bottles claiming to contain avocado oil instead contained nearly 100% soybean oil. In order to verify the results, researchers at the university created their own avocado oil, examined its chemical makeup, and compared it to the oil sold commercially. So it would appear that it's an industry-wide issue rather than one that's just centralized to Aldi.
An industry-wide problem
So how is it possible for avocado oil to be diluted so badly? Well, avocado oil is a relatively new product, so the FDA has no standards for grocery stores like Aldi and its competitor chains to follow. Selina Wang, a specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology, said in the UC Davis study, "Because there are no standards to determine if an avocado oil is of the quality and purity advertised, no one is regulating false or misleading labels. These findings highlight the urgent need for standards to protect consumers and establish a level playing field to support the continuing growth of the avocado oil industry."
As one would expect, Aldi customers weren't happy to learn that the avocado oil is less than pure. Taking to Reddit, many voiced their displeasure over discovering the news, with some offering better alternatives at competing chains. One customer put the blame at the FDA's doorstep, writing, "Unfortunately, this is the case for most brands that do not cost an arm and a leg. Also, mixing the oils is allowed by the FDA." Another noticed something wrong with their recent purchase, writing, "I decided to try some a while ago because of the high smoke point, but noticed it started smoking too." Perhaps you're better off buying some avocados and making your own oil.