Which avocado oils have the least toxic phthalate contamination? Phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals in plastics & fragrances that find their way into many foods and personal care products. To solve this puzzle, Mamavation sent several of the most popular avocado oils off to an EPA-certified laboratory to test for several types of phthalates to find out. You’ve trusted Mamavation to cover topics like safest olive oils tested for phthalates, safest coconut oils tested for phthalates, safest salt sans heavy metals and microplastics, safest cookware without PFAS “forever chemicals” and nanoparticles, and safest water purifiers that filter PFAS, now join us for another consumer study on avocado oils and hormone-disrupting phthalates.
Disclosure: This consumer study is released in partnership with Environmental Health News. Scientific reviews were performed by (1) Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, (2) Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar in Residence at Duke University, Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina, & Yale University, & (3) Pete Myers, Chief Scientist at Environmental Health Sciences, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, and Co-Author of Our Stolen Future. This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. Donations were provided by Environmental Health News and Mamavation community members. Note that Mamavation has only “spot-checked” the industry and thus we cannot make predictions about brands and products that we have not tested. Products and manufacturing aides can change without notice so buyer beware. This post contains affiliate links, with most to Amazon, which means Mamavation will receive a portion of those sales and we will use that to pay ourselves back for the testing. You can also give a tax-deductible donation to our consumer studies here through Environmental Health Sciences. Thank you! Copyright © 2024 Mamavation — All Rights Reserved
Phthalates Found in Popular Avocado Oils
Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory found phthalates in 11 popular avocado oils. These chemicals are linked to serious health effects, which we will discuss later. Because phthalates are so problematic to hormones, Mamavation has commissioned our own scientific studies on phthalates in food products to make recommendations for the safest avocado oils. Continue reading Mamavation’s article on these products to find which brands have the lowest amounts of phthalates according to our laboratory.
For this consumer study, Mamavation sent 11 popular avocado oils from 11 brands to an EPA-certified laboratory looking for phthalates. Because Mamavation only tested one product per brand, we cannot claim to know if these issues are, in fact, industry-wide or portfolio-wide. However, based on our “spot-check” of the industry, this is what we found:
100% of avocado oils analyzed by our laboratory had traces of phthalates. This is a total of 11 detections from 11 avocado oil products.
Ranges of phthalates were from 76 parts per billion (ppb) to 56,808 ppb. Based on the amounts presented, we created 4 categories to communicate levels of phthalates found: (1) Avocado oils with the most contamination (2) Avocado oils with still very high contamination, (3) Avocado oils with intermediate contamination, & (4) Avocado Oils with the least contamination. These categories are not based on health impacts. They are based on presenting data and where the middle ground lies in each category. We then added 2 results from Defend Our Health’s study on phthalates to give our audience more variety in choices.
9% of Avocado oil products had over 20,000 ppb phthalates. That’s 1 bottle out of 11 avocado oils. We dubbed this the “Are You Kidding Me?” realm, which would have the highest amount of phthalates.
18% of Avocado oil products had between 2,000 ppb and 20,000 phthalates. That’s 2 out of 11 bottles of avocado oils over 2,000 ppb. We dubbed this the “Not Our Favorite Avocado Oils with High Contamination” realm.
27% of avocado oil products had between 800 ppb and 2,000 ppb phthalates. That’s 3 out of 11 bottles of avocado oil between 800 ppb and 2,000 ppb. We dubbed this the “Better Avocado Oils with Intermediate Contamination” realm.
45% of avocado oil products had less than 800 ppb phthalates. That’s 5 out of 11 bottles of avocado oil that had below 800 ppb. We dubbed this the “Best Avocado Oils with Least Contamination” realm.
If you are using avocado oil to prepare meals for your family or as personal care, this investigation will be very important to follow to reduce your family’s exposure to phthalates. However, as you can see, every avocado oil manufacturer whose products Mamavation studied has work to do to remove phthalates from their products. None of the avocado oils that were tested by Mamavation or by Defend Our Health had zero detections of phthalates.
Phthalates are typically found inside plastics and in undisclosed fragrances. When in plastics, they work to make the plastic more flexible. When they are in fragrances, they help carry the scent longer in the air. These chemical contaminants are found in many types of products that are involved in the food service industry like food service gloves, tubing used in dairy operations, hoses, holding tanks, and conveyor belts inside manufacturing plants. In fact, there are so many places where phthalates can show up because they are legal indirect food additives used in manufacturing for both conventional AND organic foods. There is some movement to restrict some ortho-phthalate chemicals from food packaging but not from manufacturing in general.
Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar in Residence at Duke University, Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina & at Yale University had this to say about the study after her review: “Phthalates cause multiple adverse health effects, including developmental effects in the reproductive system and neurotoxicity. There is also evidence for causing cancer in laboratory animals.”
Types of Phthalates Found in Our Avocado Oil Study
Our laboratory found five different types of phthalates in the coconut oil we sent to them. Here’s a brief breakdown of each one.
Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP): DEHP is a highly toxic endocrine disruptor. It was also the most common phthalate found by our lab and is found commonly in building products (wallpaper, wire, and cable insulation), clothing (footwear, raincoats), car products, food packaging, medical devices, and children’s products (toys, grip bumpers). This chemical is also on California’s Prop. 65 list of carcinogens and reproductive toxicants. In addition, it’s been linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, developmental issues, liver & kidney toxicity, asthma & allergies, & thyroid problems.
Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP): Found commonly in PVC plastics, artificial leather, toys, carpet backing, covering on wires and cables, and pool liners. This chemical is also on California’s Prop. 65 list of carcinogens and reproductive toxicants. It’s associated with health concerns including liver & kidney toxicity, developmental issues, endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, asthma & allergies, & thyroid problems.
Bis(2-propylheptyl) Phthalate (DPHP): This type of phthalate is a substitute for other high molecular weight phthalates used primarily for high-temperature applications such as cable wires, roofing membranes, and food containers. It is used to soften plastics and is a general-use plasticizer under investigation as an endocrine disruptor. This phthalate is associated with additional health concerns like reproductive toxicity, prenatal, perinatal, & post-natal toxicity, and genotoxicity.
Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP): This type of phthalate is a colorless, odorless, oily liquid that doesn’t evaporate easily used to keep plastics soft or more flexible. It is used for medical tubing and blood storage bags, wire and cables, carpetback coating, floor tile, adhesives, cosmetics, and pesticides. Animal studies have demonstrated increased fetal malformations and reduced body weights of offspring. DnOP comprises about 20% of commercial C6-10 phthalate mixtures used in flooring and carpet tiles, tarps, pool liners, and garden hoses. DnOP is approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as an indirect food additive which is typically used in manufacturing as seam cements, bottle cap liners, and conveyor belts. DNOP are classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as priority environmental pollutants.
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): This type of phthalate is an organic compound commonly used as a plasticizer, and as an additive toadhesives or printing inks. It usually is a colorless oil, but can have a yellow color. Use of this substance in cosmetics, such as in nail polishes, is banned in the European Union. DBP is one of the six phthalic acid esters found on the Priority Pollutant List regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Animal studies have observed that DBP is toxic to fetal development. This phthalate is associated with additional health concerns like reproductive toxicity, prenatal, perinatal, & post-natal toxicity, and genotoxicity.
Diisononyl phthalate (DINP): This type of phthalate is used as a plasticizer. The European Union has set restrictions on this chemical inside food contact materials because of the determination that it’s problematic to human health. DINP is also listed on the California Prop. 65 list of carcinogens and reproductive toxicants.
Additional Studies Finding Phthalates in Cooking Oils
Another scientific report co-authored by our friends at Defend Our Health published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology found phthalates in a range of popular children’s foods and organic products in 2023. Included in this report were 2 avocado oils.
Mamavation took the results from this report and added it to our list of recommendations at the bottom of this post for your review, which was two additional results. However, all coconut oils, olive oils, & avocado oils tested by Defend Our Health also had trace amounts of phthalates. It’s not so much a question of whether there are phthalates present in coconut oils, olive oils, & avocado oils. It’s a matter of what levels are present. Both of our studies confirmed that these cooking oils have different levels of phthalates present.
Phthalates Have Specific Problematic Health Effects
Phthalates are linked to many health effects from several studies on both animals and humans. This is very problematic because phthalates are linked with hormone disruption of the endocrine system, which regulates the body’s hormones, even in trace amounts in low concentrations. Epidemiological studies have revealed that exposure to phthalates adversely affects the level of hormones within the body, which can impact several important health functions. Here are some health effects phthalate exposure is linked to.
Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University had this to say about the study during his scientific review: “An earlier Mamavation study found that olive oils are contaminated with phthalates. Now Mamavation is finding phthalates in avocado oils. Phthalates are anti-androgens—they disrupt male hormone action. Currently, highly chemicalized countries like America are experiencing a steady drop in male fertility, quantified through a population-level decline in mean sperm count and quality. Phthalate exposures are suspected of playing a role in the declines. Phthalate contamination of food oils is completely unacceptable! Like the olive oil manufacturers, the avocado oil manufacturers should begin acting to better protect their customers by thoroughly examining every aspect of their supply and manufacturing chains to ensure that all phthalates are eliminated. And then they should learn much more about endocrine disruption and become extremely diligent in producing products that are free of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. One has to wonder why the FDA appears to be asleep on the job.”
How are Phthalates Regulated in the Food Supply & Children’s Products?
Because phthalates are so problematic to human health, there are varying restrictions on products and food at the federal level. There is, however, no consistency among federal agencies to protect the public. For instance, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) restricts certain phthalates within children’s toys and childcare products. They prohibit the import and sale of those products that contain more than 0.1% of the following phthalates:
di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)
diisononyl phthalate (DINP)
diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)
di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPENP)
di-n-hexyl phthalate (DHEXP)
dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP)
Even though the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission restricted 8 ortho-phthalates in products intended for use by children, you still see some of the same chemicals approved as indirect additives by the FDA in the food supply even when those foods are marketed to children. Furthermore, the FDA denied a citizen petition in 2022 which demanded to take these phthalate chemicals out of the food supply because they impact the hormones of children.
California also has some restrictions under the Prop. 65 list of Carcinogens and Reproductive Toxicants, requiring products sold over the limits to be accompanied by a warning. Any consumer living in California who tests and finds products with specific phthalate amounts outside the limits may bring a Prop. 65 lawsuit six months after serving the company with a public notification letter. However, be advised these limits are not enforceable. California’s “right to know” law is only about warning the consumer about the carcinogenic chemicals present. Therefore, California cannot force companies to recall products that are above these limits. Here are the phthalate-criteria:
BBP – Maximum Allowable Dose Levels (MADL) 1,200 μg/day (oral)
DBP – MADL 8.7 μg/day
DIDP – MADL 2,200 μg/day
DnHP – MADL 2,200 μg/day
DEHP – No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) 310 μg/day (adult), MADL 4,200 μg/day (intravenous adult), MADL 600 (intravenous infant), MADL 410 ug/day (oral for adult), MADL 58 ug/day (oral for infant).
DINP – NSRL 146 μg/day
In terms of avocado oils, it could be possible that the vast majority of phthalates are finding their way into the product during manufacturing, storage, or transportation. Under the Food & Drug Administration 21 CFR rules, FDA regulates food, drugs, cosmetics, and food contact materials within the United States. The FDA sanctioned the use of 25 plasticizers via an amendment to food additive regulations: 21 CFR Part 175 through 21 CFR Part 178. These regulations allow the use of phthalates in the food supply as “indirect food additives” that can be present. These chemicals can find their way into your food in many ways during manufacturing such as:
Adhesives and components of coatings used in food contact materials.
Components of paper and paperboard, such as paperboard that is in contact with aqueous and fatty foods or used as a defoaming agent on the paperboard.
Adjuvants, production aids, and sanitizers used in manufacturing.
Plasticizers in polymeric substances, such as phthalates in plastic PVA or PVC sheets in food contact materials OR vinyl chloride homopolymers or copolymers used in food contact materials.
Surface lubricants used to make metallic products.
The European Union has banned or restricted several phthalates such as DEHP, DBP, DIBP, and BBP in a wide range of products since 2020. These bans and restrictions include children’s swimming aids, flooring, coated fabrics and paper, recreational gear, mattresses, footwear, and office supplies, among other categories. These chemicals are not expected to be found in foods above certain thresholds. However, not all phthalates are restricted or tested for either.
Other Categories of Products Mamavation Has Tested for Toxic Contaminants
Before we launch into the raw data from our lab, we wanted to remind you about all the other studies we have done on indications of PFAS “forever chemicals,” pesticides, & heavy metals inside the food and consumer products you may bring inside your home. Each one of these studies were done in a similar fashion as this study with brands sent independently to the certified lab and raw data of those labs at the bottom of the post.
Mamavation’s Investigation of Avocado Oils & Phthalates
For this study, avocado oils were purchased between February 2023 and May 2024. Each product was recorded in our database and sent directly to the lab within its original packaging. Unfortunately, 100% of avocado oils tested had at least trace amounts of ortho-phthalates, a class of hormone-disrupting chemicals.
To make this a more comprehensive list, we have combined our raw data with raw data from the study done in 2023 by Defend Our Health. As you can see, the purpose behind this consumer study is designed to help you select a food product with lower amounts of phthalates.
Mamavation’s EPA-certified lab tested for the following phthalates. This is not a complete list of all the phthalates that are allowed to be present as an indirect food additive according to the FDA, however, this list goes above and beyond what is already restricted by the European Union or the State of California and mirrors what was tested in 2023 by Defend Our Health.
Diethyl phthalate (DEP)
Di-n-propyl phthalate (DPP)
Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
Dihexyl phthalate (DnHP)
Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)
Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP)
Diisononyl phthalate (DINP)
Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP)
Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP)
bis(2-Ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)
Dimethyl phthalate (DMP)
Bis(2-propylheptyl) Phthalate (DPHP)
Didecyl phthalate (DDP)
Pete Myers, Chief Scientist at Environmental Health Sciences, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, and Co-Author of Our Stolen Future had this to say: “The presence of individual types of phthalates in avocado oils is just a starting point. Scientific experts in endocrine disruption are deeply concerned about the simultaneous effect of the mixtures of phthalates present. In our samples, 91% tested had at least two phthalate types present, and 64% had at least three phthalates present. That’s not a good sign.”
Mamavation’s Raw Data on Phthalates in Avocado Oil
Are You Kidding Me? Avocado Oil(s) with the Most Contamination
This category contains avocado oils sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have phthalate sum levels over 20,000 ppb.
Not Our Favorite Avocado Oils with High Contamination
This category contains avocado oils sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have phthalate sum levels between 2,000 ppb and 20,000 ppb. Products marked with an * came from the Defend Our Health Study.
Primal Kitchen Pure Avocado Oil Centrifuge Extracted — Total phthalate 2,774 ppb
*Private Selection Avocado Oil (Kroger Brand) — Total phthalate 3,032 ppb
*Simple Truth Organic Refined Avocado Oil Bottle (Kroger Brand) — Total phthalate 2,912 ppb
Trader Joe’s Avocado Oil All Purpose High Heat Cooking Oil — Total phthalate 2,426 ppb
Better Avocado Oils With Intermediate Contamination
This category contains avocado oils sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have phthalate sum levels between 800 ppb and 2,000 ppb.
Best Avocado Oils with Least Contamination
This category contains avocado oils sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have phthalate sum levels less than 800 ppb.