Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether consumers who purchased certain Frito-Lay snack products marketed as made or cooked with avocado oil received products containing oil that was inconsistent with authentic avocado oil.
Frito-Lay and its affiliated brands sell some of the most widely purchased snack foods in the United States. Certain products have increasingly emphasized avocado oil as an alternative to the oils traditionally used in mass-market chips and snacks.
The authenticity of avocado oil used in processed foods has recently come under scrutiny.
In 2026, researchers at the University of California, Davis tested 54 chips, mayonnaises, salad dressings, and other processed foods that identified avocado oil as their only oil ingredient.
Researchers reported that 48 of the 54 avocado-oil products tested had oil compositions inconsistent with authentic avocado oil.
Among chips, the results were even more significant: 26 of 28 avocado-oil chip samples failed the researchers’ authenticity criteria.
Brands identified as being included in the research included Lay’s and Simply Frito-Lay.
Why Avocado Oil Matters to Consumers
Avocado oil can be a significant selling point.
Consumers may intentionally choose an avocado-oil version of a familiar snack because they:
- want avocado oil instead of another vegetable oil;
- are attempting to avoid particular seed oils;
- perceive avocado oil as a premium ingredient;
- prefer products with simpler ingredient lists; or
- believe avocado-oil products better fit their dietary preferences.
These consumers may also pay more than they would for otherwise similar conventional snack products.
If a product prominently represented that it was made or cooked with avocado oil while the oil actually used was materially inconsistent with authentic avocado oil, consumers may have paid a premium based on inaccurate or misleading ingredient representations.
Researchers Found Widespread Problems
UC Davis researchers extracted oil from the finished foods and examined its fatty-acid and sterol composition.
The researchers specifically considered whether cooking and food processing might alter avocado oil enough to produce misleading laboratory results. Their testing found only minimal changes in the important chemical markers following frying and emulsification.
Researchers also provided a 10% margin to accommodate natural variation in authentic avocado oil.
Even after those allowances, 89% of the avocado-oil-labeled processed foods failed.
The researchers cautioned that these results do not necessarily mean individual food manufacturers knowingly used adulterated oil. Problems may originate with oil suppliers or intermediaries farther up the supply chain.
However, UC Davis also noted that food companies can take additional measures to test and verify the authenticity of avocado oil obtained from suppliers.
We Are Interested in Hearing From Consumers Who
- purchased Lay’s, Simply, Tostitos, or another Frito-Lay product marketed as made with avocado oil;
- selected the avocado-oil version instead of a conventional version of the product;
- relied on representations that the product was cooked or made with avocado oil;
- specifically sought to avoid other vegetable or seed oils;
- paid a premium for the avocado-oil product;
- purchased these products repeatedly;
- still have packaging showing a lot number or date code;
- have receipts, photographs, loyalty-card records, or online purchase histories; or
- would have paid less—or purchased a different product—had they known the oil might not be authentic avocado oil.
Because avocado-oil authenticity may differ among products or batches, the exact product name, flavor, purchase date, UPC, and package lot number may be especially important.
If you purchased a Frito-Lay snack marketed as made with avocado oil and believe you did not receive 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.