Avocado Oil's Premium Halo Under Scrutiny

A University of California, Davis study has found that nearly nine in 10 samples from processed foods declaring avocado oil as their only edible oil had fatty-acid and sterol profiles inconsistent with the authentic ingredient.

The study, published in Applied Food Research, examined oils extracted from 74 commercially available chips, mayonnaises, and salad dressings. Of the 54 samples representing two production lots from 27 products listing avocado oil as their sole edible oil, 48 (or 89%) produced compositions inconsistent with authentic avocado oil.

These inconsistencies appeared in 93% of the chip samples, 71% of the mayonnaise samples, and every salad dressing sample. In contrast, among 20 products listing olive oil as their only oil, just one returned an inconsistent result.

The findings have sparked proposed class actions against two major snack companies, Utz Brands and Campbell's, over their use of avocado oil in their products. The plaintiffs allege that the oil was substituted or diluted and that shoppers wouldn't have bought the crisps, or would have paid substantially less, had they known.

Inside Avo Oil's Authenticity Crisis

The study's lead author, Selina Wang, professor of cooperative extension in the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology, stated that consumers are increasingly paying a premium for products made with avocado oil or olive oil, and they deserve to get what they pay for.

However, the study's findings don't establish that manufacturers deliberately replaced the declared ingredient. A producer could have bought what it believed was authentic avocado oil without knowing it had already been diluted or substituted further upstream.

The authenticity crisis in avocado oil is a concern, especially given its higher cost and technical challenges compared to other oils. Avocado oil is newer, more expensive, and less standardized, creating greater opportunities for substitution and a powerful financial incentive to do it.

Why Snack Brands Are Buying In

Avocado oil initially gained traction among wellness-positioned brands targeting shoppers prepared to study ingredient lists and pay more to avoid conventional vegetable oils. However, investment further up the supply chain suggests that this isn't simply a social-media fad.

Fresh Del Monte acquired a majority stake in Ugandan producer Avolio in 2025, valuing the global avocado oil market at approximately $1.2 billion, with annual growth of 8% to 10%. The company plans to scale Avolio's technology to process 140 tonnes of avocados a day.

There's also a useful waste-reduction story. Avocados that can't be sold whole because of their appearance, size, or ripeness can be turned into oil rather than discarded.

RFK Jr's $5 Avocado Oil Problem

Avocado oil's rise is closely tied to the increasingly vocal backlash against seed oils. However, the evidence doesn't support many of the movement's strongest claims. Nutrition researchers at Johns Hopkins have said seed oils don't cause inflammation, while the American Heart Association maintains that omega-6 polyunsaturated fats can help reduce LDL cholesterol when they replace saturated fat.

Consumer perception, however, is moving faster than the science. Because avocado oil comes from fruit flesh, contains high levels of monounsaturated fat, and carries the natural associations of the avocado, it gives snack brands a compelling alternative to commodity oils.

The online cooking series Real Food Show, backed by US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, promotes meals costing less than $5 per serving 'whenever practical'. However, its first episode used premium-priced avocado oil mayonnaise while deliberately avoiding cheaper seed oils.

Indicative bulk prices put conventional refined avocado oil at approximately $3 to $7 per kilogram.