Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether consumers who purchased BRIANNAS salad dressings marketed as made with 100% avocado oil received products containing the type of oil represented on their labels.
BRIANNAS markets a line of avocado-oil salad dressings and describes these products as being made with 100% avocado oil. The company’s avocado-oil lineup includes vinaigrettes, ranch-style dressings, and other varieties prominently marketed around avocado oil.
For consumers who specifically seek salad dressings made with avocado oil, these representations may be an important reason for selecting BRIANNAS over conventional dressings made with soybean, canola, or other vegetable oils.
A recent University of California, Davis study raises significant questions about the authenticity of avocado oil used in processed foods.
Researchers tested 54 commercially available chips, mayonnaises, and salad dressings whose labels identified avocado oil as their only oil ingredient. They found that 48 of the 54 products tested—89%—contained other oils.
The results for salad dressings were particularly striking: all 12 avocado-oil salad-dressing samples tested contained other oils.
Why Consumers May Have Been Misled
BRIANNAS’ avocado-oil marketing makes the identity of the oil an express feature of the product.
Consumers may purchase these dressings because they:
- specifically seek salad dressing made with avocado oil;
- rely on representations that the dressing is made with “100% avocado oil”;
- seek to avoid soybean, canola, sunflower, or other seed oils;
- perceive avocado oil as a premium ingredient;
- rely on ingredient labels when making dietary choices; or
- are willing to pay more for an avocado-oil dressing.
If a salad dressing was marketed as being made with 100% avocado oil but contained another undisclosed oil, consumers may have paid a premium for a materially different product.
All Avocado Oil Dressings Tested Contained Other Oils
UC Davis researchers extracted oils from finished foods and analyzed their fatty-acid and sterol profiles—the chemical fingerprints used to distinguish avocado oil from other oils.
The researchers separately examined whether manufacturing processes such as emulsification could explain the results. They found only minimal changes in the relevant authenticity markers.
Researchers also provided a 10% margin for natural variation among authentic avocado oils.
Despite those safeguards, every avocado-oil salad-dressing sample tested contained other oils.
The findings do not necessarily mean that a food manufacturer knowingly substituted another oil. UC Davis researchers have explained that adulteration may occur farther upstream with suppliers and intermediaries.
However, consumers purchasing finished products labeled as made with avocado oil may ultimately have received something different from what the label represented.
We Are Interested in Hearing From Consumers Who:
- purchased a BRIANNAS avocado-oil salad dressing;
- purchased Avocado Oil Herb Vinaigrette, Classic Balsamic Vinaigrette, Greek Vinaigrette, Dairy-Free Garden Ranch, or another avocado-oil variety;
- relied on representations that the product was made with 100% avocado oil;
- specifically sought to avoid other vegetable or seed oils;
- chose BRIANNAS because avocado oil was prominently advertised;
- paid a premium for the product;
- purchased BRIANNAS avocado-oil dressings repeatedly;
- still possess a bottle showing a UPC, expiration date, or lot code;
- have receipts, photographs, loyalty-account records, or online purchase histories; or
- would have paid less—or purchased another dressing—had they known the oil might not match the product’s representations.
Please retain any bottles or packaging you still have. The exact variety, UPC, expiration date, lot number, and purchase date may be particularly helpful in evaluating potential claims.
If you purchased BRIANNAS salad dressing marketed as made with avocado oil and believe you may not have received what you paid for, please contact Migliaccio & Rathod LLP.
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.