Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether consumers who purchased BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil Mayonnaise received products containing the type of oil represented on the product labeling.
BetterBody Foods markets its mayonnaise specifically around the use of avocado oil. The company states that it switched ingredients such as soy and canola oil for avocado oil, and its ingredient list identifies avocado oil as the oil used in the product.
For consumers seeking mayonnaise made without conventional seed or vegetable oils, that representation may be an important reason for choosing BetterBody Foods over less expensive alternatives.
Recent research from the University of California, Davis raises significant questions about the authenticity of avocado oil used in processed foods.
Researchers tested 54 commercially available chips, mayonnaises, and salad dressings that identified avocado oil as their only oil ingredient. They found that 48 of the 54 products tested—89%—contained other oils and were inconsistent with authentic avocado oil.
The results were particularly significant for mayonnaise. Of the 14 avocado-oil mayonnaise samples tested, 10—approximately 71%—contained other oils.
Why Consumers May Have Been Misled
BetterBody Foods specifically distinguishes its Avocado Oil Mayo from conventional mayonnaise by emphasizing its use of avocado oil instead of oils such as soy and canola.
Consumers may therefore purchase the product because they:
- specifically want mayonnaise made with avocado oil;
- seek to avoid soy, canola, or other seed oils;
- rely on the ingredient list when making purchasing decisions;
- perceive avocado oil as a premium ingredient;
- follow dietary preferences involving particular cooking oils; or
- are willing to pay more for avocado-oil mayonnaise.
If a product represented avocado oil as its oil ingredient but contained another undisclosed oil, consumers may have paid a premium for a product different from what its labeling represented.
UC Davis Finds Problems With Avocado Oil Mayonnaise
UC Davis researchers analyzed the fatty-acid and sterol composition of oils extracted from finished foods to determine whether they were consistent with authentic avocado oil.
Researchers also considered whether food processing could explain the unusual results. They found that emulsification and other processing produced only minimal changes to the chemical markers used to identify avocado oil.
The researchers additionally allowed a 10% margin for natural variations among authentic avocado oils.
Even after those allowances, 10 of the 14 avocado-oil mayonnaise samples tested contained other oils.
The study does not necessarily establish that individual manufacturers knowingly used adulterated oil. UC Davis researchers have explained that adulteration may occur upstream in the supply chain, meaning a food manufacturer itself could receive oil from a supplier that is not what it was represented to be.
Nevertheless, consumers ultimately may have purchased finished products that did not contain what their labels represented.
We Are Interested in Hearing From Consumers Who:
- purchased BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil Mayo;
- purchased the Original, Chipotle Lime, or another avocado-oil mayonnaise variety;
- chose BetterBody Foods because the product used avocado oil instead of soy or canola oil;
- specifically sought to avoid other vegetable or seed oils;
- relied on avocado oil being identified on the ingredient list;
- paid a premium for the product;
- purchased BetterBody Foods mayonnaise repeatedly;
- still have a jar or bottle showing a UPC, expiration date, or lot code;
- have receipts, photographs, Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Sam’s Club, or other purchase records; or
- would have paid less—or purchased another mayonnaise—had they known the oil might not match the product’s representations.
Please retain any packaging you still have. Product variety, UPC, expiration date, lot number, and purchase date may be particularly useful in determining whether specific products or production runs were affected.
If you purchased BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil Mayonnaise and believe you may not have received what you paid for, we would like to hear from you.
There is no charge to speak with us, and there is no obligation to take legal action.
Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or call us at (202) 470-3520.
Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is a Washington, D.C.-based law firm that represents consumers in class-action litigation nationwide.