The demand for avocado oil has increased rapidly as consumers resonate with its potential health benefits. As the avocado oil market continues to grow, it is crucial to monitor and ensure that the oils are of the quality and purity advertised. However, there are currently no standards for avocado oil and consumers are unprotected from fraud (i.e., economic motivated adulteration). This study analyzed avocado oils currently on the market in the US to determine their quality (e.g., free fatty acidity, peroxide value, UV absorbances, vitamin E) and purity (e.g., fatty acids and sterols). It was discovered that many avocado oils not only suffer from poor quality some are also adulterated with other oils. Our results demonstrate that there is an urgent need to develop standards for avocado oil to not only ensure the consumers are getting high quality and authentic products but establishing a fair playing field for the global avocado oil industry.
