When you reach for a product that says it’s ‘made with avocado oil,’ you’re expecting a premium ingredient known for its health benefits and fresh, mild flavor. What you’re getting is another story, unless the label says Seed Oil Free Certified®. Thanks to rising demand for food made with healthier fats, consumers and companies are paying a premium for heart-healthy avocado oil. Unfortunately, many of these products contain avocado oil that is heavily adulterated with cheap seed oils.
According to Julia Mills, Mintel’s U.S. Food & Drink Reports analyst, there was a staggering 825% surge in “made with avocado oil” packaging claims between 2019 and 2023. This rapid growth signals a new consumer expectation regarding the quality of the fats and oils used in their favorite convenience foods. And when that expectation isn’t backed by real purity, trust erodes.
That’s why Seed Oil Free Certified goes beyond marketing claims. We independently lab test all added oils and refined fats to verify purity for brands committed to public health, ingredient quality, and consumer trust.
Adulteration is Widespread
The most common adulterants found in avocado oil are cheaper, refined seed oils, including soybean, canola, and safflower. A 2024 Washington Post investigation revealed what many in the industry already suspected: the avocado oil market is flooded with adulterated and mislabeled products, many sold by major U.S. retailers under their own private labels. Refined avocado oil was particularly problematic. Of the 29 refined oils they tested, 19 were found to be adulterated. Researchers at UC Davis tested 36 bottles of store-brand avocado oil and found that nearly two-thirds were adulterated. In some cases, the oils didn’t contain any avocado oil at all.
In other words: even brands with good intentions may unknowingly sell adulterated oils, especially when they rely solely on wholesale supplier documentation rather than independent testing. The FDA has acknowledged the problem, stating that “high-value oils” like avocado oil are frequent targets for economically motivated adulteration.
What Our Research Shows
Adulteration of premium ingredients with cheap seed oils doesn’t just affect ‘store brands’ or discount shoppers; it’s become a problem for some of your favorite, most trustworthy brands. To date, the Seed Oil Free Alliance has tested 22 avocado oil samples submitted as part of the Seed Oil Free Certified application process. Only 7 out of 22 met our purity standards.
That’s a failure rate of 68%.
All of these failed samples were unintentionally adulterated; brands believed they were sourcing pure avocado oil and volunteered for testing. But our multi-step process caught what the paperwork didn’t. This is why Seed Oil Free Certified fills a critical gap to verify oil purity in all certified products. Ingredient integrity isn’t something you can assume. It has to be proven.
Purity failures disqualify a product from Seed Oil Free Certification unless the issue is remediated. If a brand fails and chooses not to reformulate, the results remain confidential.
Not All Avocado Oils Pass
Adulteration is common in the avocado oil market, so how do you detect hidden seed oils like canola, soybean, or safflower? These refined oils are odorless, colorless, and undetectable to the naked eye. That’s why lab testing is required for all Seed Oil Free Certified products using avocado oil.
Seed Oil Free Certified uses a scientifically rigorous and transparent process to verify avocado oil purity. With avocado oil now formally recognized in the Codex Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CXS 210-1999) as of November 2024, we finally have a globally accepted benchmark for what authentic avocado oil should look like. This is a milestone for the industry and a critical tool in our verification process.
To assess whether a given oil meets purity requirements, we compare its composition against three independently validated reference datasets:
- FCC 2024 (Food Chemicals Codex) – The most detailed commercial standard for avocado oil.
- Codex Alimentarius 2024 – The new global baseline for quality and authenticity.
- Green & Wang, 2022 (Food Control) – A peer-reviewed dataset built on verified avocado oil samples from Mexico, Chile, Peru, and Kenya—used to account for regional and varietal variation.
If a sample’s fatty acid profile and/or sterol composition matches the accepted range from any one of these sources, it is considered authentic.
Preventing Food Fraud
As major brands like Lay’s and Starbucks announce efforts to remove seed oils from their products, ingredient claims are under greater scrutiny. Consumers are starting to question whether the oil used is actually what the label claims it is.
For brands, earning Certification equates to trust. Customers want to know that the ingredients they’re paying for have undergone scrutiny to make sure they’re getting the real deal.
All Seed Oil Free Certified products have been audited for seed oil exposure and verified through lab testing using an established purity standard (FCC + Codex + peer-reviewed science). With the rising demand for avocado oil comes an increased risk of fraud, and Seed Oil Free Certified is playing a critical role in protecting ingredient integrity across the supply chain.
If you’re looking for products made with real, high-quality avocado oil, and not cheaper oils masquerading as the real thing, the best way to shop with confidence is to look for the Seed Oil Free Certified seal. Every product bearing this mark has undergone rigorous third-party lab testing to confirm it’s free from seed oils and oil adulteration.
You can explore verified products using our Seed Oil Free Certified Product Finder—a searchable directory of brands that meet the highest standards for oil quality and transparency.
Don’t Just Trust the Label – Test It
If you’re a restaurant owner, food manufacturer, or CPG brand using avocado oil, now is the time to ensure you’re delivering what your label promises. Schedule a call today to submit your avocado oil for third-party testing and learn how your products can earn the Seed Oil Free Certified designation. Join the growing movement of brands that are proud to say: no seed oils, no shortcuts, no compromises.
