Our Purity Standard: The Gold Standard in Avocado Oil

The Avocado Oil Crisis Is Real

A landmark UC Davis study tested 36 avocado oil samples from 19 major grocery chains — and found that approximately 2 out of 3 failed purity tests. Retailers including Walmart, Sam's Club, Kroger, and Safeway were all named in the findings. The FDA has confirmed that high-value oils are "potential targets for economically motivated adulteration." Cheap seed oils are blended and mislabeled as premium product — the same playbook that cost the olive oil industry billions in lost consumer trust.

Source: Washington Post, August 27, 2024 — "Why your avocado oil may be fake and contain other cheap oils"

What Is Codex Alimentarius?

Codex Alimentarius is the global standard for food safety, established by the FAO and WHO and used by 189 countries. Standard CXS 210-1999 defines the composition and quality requirements for named vegetable oils — including avocado oil. In December 2024, avocado oil was officially added to the Codex standard at the 47th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

The Codex standard defines:

• Fatty acid composition ranges (Table 1)

• Sterol profile ranges (Table 3)

• Chemical and physical characteristics (Table 2)

• Labeling and hygiene requirements

• Referenced by FDA, EU, and global regulators — the benchmark for buyer due diligence

Codex Standard: Avocado Oil Fatty Acid Profile

Per CXS 210-1999 (Codex Alimentarius), pure avocado oil must fall within the following fatty acid composition ranges:

• C16:0 Palmitic: 11.0 – 26.0%

• C16:1 Palmitoleic: 4.0 – 17.1%

• C18:0 Stearic: 0.1 – 1.3%

• C18:1 Oleic (key purity marker): 42.0 – 75.0% — if outside this range, the oil has been adulterated with soy, canola, or sunflower

• C18:2 Linoleic: 7.8 – 19.0%

• C18:3 Linolenic: 0.5 – 2.1%

Codex Standard: Sterol Profile

The sterol fingerprint is one of the most reliable indicators of adulteration. Pure avocado oil must meet these sterol ranges per Codex CXS 210-1999:

• Beta-sitosterol: 79.0 – 93.4% (dominant sterol in pure avocado oil)

• Campesterol: 4.0 – 8.3%

• Delta-5-avenasterol: 2.0 – 8.0%

• Stigmasterol: 0.3 – 2.0%

• Total sterols: 3,000 – 7,500 mg/kg

Adulterated vs. Pure Avocado Oil: Side by Side

• Smoke Point: Adulterated oils are variable and unreliable, often below 400°F due to blended seed oils. Pure avocado oil delivers a consistent 500°F.

• Oleic Acid (C18:1): Adulterated oils fall outside the Codex 42–75% range, a clear indicator of blending with soy, canola, or sunflower. Our oil is always within range.

• Allergen Risk: Adulterated oils may contain undisclosed soy, sesame, or other allergens. Simple Foods is a single-ingredient product — no hidden allergens.

• Labeling: Mislabeled products fail Codex composition tests. Every batch of Simple Foods is lab-tested and Codex CXS 210 compliant.

Origin Matters: Why Michoacán, Mexico

Avocado oil quality starts at the orchard. Mexico is the #1 avocado producer globally at ~2.5 million tonnes per year — roughly 30% of world production. Simple Foods sources exclusively from Michoacán, Mexico — the world's premier avocado growing region, with ideal volcanic soil and altitude for premium fruit.

A key red flag: Spain is the largest exporter of avocado oil yet does not produce avocados in large quantities. When a supplier can't trace oil back to the grove, purity claims are unverifiable. Our vertically integrated supply chain — from orchard to bottle — is the only way to guarantee what's in the bottle matches the label.

Why Simple Foods Is Different

• Vertically integrated supply chain — orchard to bottle, no unknown middlemen

• 100% pure, lab-tested per Codex CXS 210 — audit-ready documentation for every batch

• 120+ years of heritage — Aceites Especiales TH, established 1905 in Morelia, Michoacán

• #2 avocado oil supplier globally — scale, reliability, no supply disruptions

• Direct grower partnerships in Michoacán — full traceability from grove to shelf

• Available formats: Glass, spray, tin, organic — retail, club, and private label

2/3 of avocado oils on shelves today fail purity tests — yours doesn't have to.

Simple Foods is available on Amazon. Shop with confidence knowing every bottle is Codex-compliant, Non-GMO Verified, Kosher certified, and traceable back to family farms in Michoacán, Mexico.