Defining avocado oil

The avocado oil industry needs significant change, and the future should begin with a review of CODEX standards.

On November 25, 2024, the Codex Alimentarius Standard CXS 210-1999 officially added avocado oil to a range of 30 oils, some derived from fruits and nuts, and others from seeds and grains. The specific definition states: “Avocado oil may be derived either from the mesocarp (flesh) of the avocado (Persea americana) or obtained from the processing of the whole fruit.” Extra virgin avocado oil is not identified.

In 2026, almost all avocado oil produced around the world comes from the whole fruit, including the seed and skin. This article presents a strong business case for Codex to change the current definition so that only the flesh (the edible portion) is processed for all grades of avocado oil production.

Overview:

Removing the skin and seed maximizes extraction efficiency (overall oil yield) and ensures a premium-quality product. The best of these products meet extra virgin oil standards.

Higher quality generates significantly higher-value by-products. By removing the seed and skin:

1. Total oil yield is higher:

• Cleaner centrifugal separation:

Crushing the whole fruit, including the seeds and skin, contributes virtually no recoverable oil to the process, but creates a physical and chemical “trap” within the production line. Interestingly, oil extracted solely from the seeds and skin is considered inedible!

• Prevention of the sponge effect: Without pulverized seed particles — dry, fibrous, and highly absorbent — present in the malaxer as a result of whole-fruit processing, there is nothing to absorb and retain the free oil released from the pulp cells.

2. Oil quality improves

Processing pure pulp protects the oil’s sensory and chemical characteristics, as well as its shelf life, against quality deterioration.

• Lower acidity and peroxide values: High levels of enzymes in the seed, such as lipase and lipoxygenase, actively break down oil molecules into free fatty acids (FFAs) and volatile peroxides. Removing the seed prevents these enzymes from coming into contact with free oil, ensuring lower FFA levels and a significantly longer shelf life.
• Excellent color profile: Crushing the whole fruit can result in very dark-colored oil, as the seeds and skin contain high concentrations of chlorophyll and dark polyphenols that are released during processing. Extraction from the flesh alone produces an intense emerald-green color derived exclusively from the fruit’s natural pigments.
• Clean, premium-quality aroma and flavor: Extraction exclusively from the pulp provides a clean, mild, smooth, buttery flavor profile with characteristic nutty notes. The seeds and skin contribute concentrated tannins and bitter compounds with unpleasant aromas, as well as a harsh and bitter aftertaste.
• Crude oil refining should be less expensive: As an exclusive, high-end product, avocado oil attracts well-educated, health-conscious, higher-income consumers who prefer fresh, natural, minimally processed foods free from GMOs, preservatives, artificial additives, trans fats, and carbohydrates. These consumers also understand that the fats in avocado oil are excellent within the distinction between “good fats” and “bad fats.”

Removing the seed and skin ensures that the extraction equipment operates at maximum efficiency, allowing the final product to retain the highest possible chemical purity and sensory appeal.

This crude oil is easier, less expensive, and faster to refine. Because it has a lighter color, the bleaching process is simplified. The same applies to deodorization, as it has less flavor and odor. Thanks to its high oxidative stability and low levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) and peroxides, physical refining can be carried out at temperatures 50°C lower, without the use of potentially harmful chemicals or solvents. The result is greater efficiency and reduced refining losses.

Lower-temperature, faster physical refining also prevents the formation of two harmful toxins. An increasing number of countries are adopting regulations to limit levels of 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters, in line with Regulation (EU) 2023/915. The likelihood of these toxins forming increases when avocados are processed together with the seed and skin.

Andrew Logan
Avocado Health Limited
WhatsApp:+64 21 428 645
andrew@AvoHealth.com 
www.AvoHealth.com|