A group of Australian and New Zealand avocado oil makers are calling for more purity testing and greater enforcement powers to combat undeclared ingredients in products on our supermarket shelves.
The group, known as the Avocado Trust, commissioned independent testing through New Orleans-based Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratories, of avocado oils sold in both countries.
"We began noticing prices for some products of avocado oil that were cheaper than what we could see in terms of traded crude avocado oil prices so we started to become a bit, I think, suspicious," chairman James Greenlees, who runs Grove Avocado Oil, told 1News.
The group alleged the testing showed products sold under the Cocolife, HBC Trading Chef's Choice and Cherry Creek Estate brand names were diluted with other ingredients not on the label.
While all three brands were Australia-based, Cocolife products were sold in New Zealand.
In a statement, the company told 1News it had not been informed of any complaints or allegations from food authorities and that it "rejects the allegations that its avocado oil products are not 100% avocado oil".
Cocolife added that its "processes, products and supply chain are independently audited by SGS, an internationally recognised testing, inspection and certification organisation".
"In addition, our Food Safety and Defence Programme involves implementation of food fraud vulnerability assessments, mitigation measures and verification programmes."
HBC Trading said it had no comment on the matter, while Cherry Creek Estate did not respond to requests for comment.
In a statement, a NSW Food Authority spokesperson said it had "received a complaint about avocado oils products and is currently investigating".
While there was some margin for error with lab test results, University of California, Davis food researcher Professor Selina Wang said she had reviewed the Avocado Trust's test results and believed they showed signs of dilution.
"The profile I'm seeing is inconsistent with authentic avocado oil," Wang said.
Calls were now growing for a dedicated agency similar to the UK's food crime unit, which investigates matters of food fraud.
"We need a specialist body that tests high-risk products and investigates fraud before consumers or journalists have to uncover it," Greenlees said.
Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard said he had "not received any proposals to establish a dedicated food fraud unit", adding that the Ministry for Primary Industries' existing approach "already includes fraud management and enforcement".
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