Which olive oils have the least amount of phthalate contamination? Phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals found in plastics that find their way into many foods and personal care products. To solve this puzzle, Mamavation sent several of the most popular olive oils off to an EPA-certified laboratory to test for several types of phthalates to find out. You’ve trusted Mamavation to cover topics like safest salt sans heavy metals and microplastics, safest cookware without PFAS “forever chemicals” and nanoparticles, and safest water purifiers that filter PFAS, now join us for another consumer study on olive oils and hormone-disrupting phthalates.
[Update: More olive oils were added on 7-15-24 and we will continue to add more oils as we test them.]Disclosure: This consumer study is released in partnership with Environmental Health News. Scientific reviews were performed by (1) Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, (2) Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar in Residence at Duke University, Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina, & Yale University, & (3) Pete Myers, Chief Scientist at Environmental Health Sciences, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, and Co-Author of Our Stolen Future. This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. Donations were provided by Environmental Health News and Mamavation community members. Note that Mamavation has only “spot-checked” the industry and thus we cannot make predictions about brands and products that we have not tested. Products and manufacturing aides can change without notice so buyer beware. This post contains affiliate links, with most to Amazon, which means Mamavation will receive a portion of those sales and we will use that to pay ourselves back for the testing. You can also give a tax-deductible donation to our consumer studies here through Environmental Health Sciences. Thank you! Copyright © 2024 Mamavation — All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents
Phthalates Found in Popular Olive Oils
Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory found phthalates in 13 popular olive oils. These chemicals are linked to serious health effects, which we will discuss later. Because phthalates are so problematic to hormones, Mamavation has commissioned our own scientific studies on phthalates in food products to make recommendations for the safest olive oils. Read Mamavation’s articles on these products to find which brands have the lowest amounts of phthalates according to our laboratory.
For this consumer study, Mamavation sent 13 popular olive oils from 13 brands to an EPA-certified laboratory looking for phthalates. Because Mamavation only tested one product per brand, we cannot claim to know if these issues are, in fact, industry-wide or portfolio-wide. However, based on our “spot-check” of the industry, this is what we found:
- 100% of olive oils analyzed by our laboratory had traces of phthalates. This is a total of 13 detections from 13 olive oil products.
- Ranges of phthalates were from 655 parts per billion (ppb) to 6,092 ppb. Based on the amounts presented, we created 3 categories to communicate levels of phthalates found: (1) Olive oils with the most contamination, (2) Olive oils with intermediate contamination, & (3) Olive oils with the least contamination. These categories are not based on health impacts. They are based on presenting data and where the middle ground lies in each category. At the end, when we presented the raw data, we then added recent testing done by Defend Our Health on olive oils to give you a more robust list of options.
- 23% of olive oil products had over 2,000 ppb phthalates. That’s 3 out of 13 bottles of olive oils over 2000 ppb. We dubbed this the “Olive oils with the most contamination” realm.
- 46% of olive oil products had between 1,200 ppb and 2,000 ppb phthalates. That’s 6 out of 13 bottles of olive oil between 1,200 ppb and 2000 ppb. We dubbed this the “olive oils with intermediate contamination” realm.
- 30% of olive oil products had less than 1,200 ppb phthalates. That’s 4 out of 13 bottles of olive oil that had below 1,200 ppb. We dubbed this the “olive oils with the least contamination” realm.
- UPDATE on 7-15-24: 10 additional olive oils were added to this list on 7-15-24. 8 olive oils were added to the “olive oils with least amount of contamination” section and 2 olive oils were added to the “olive oils with intermediate contamination” section. We did not change/adjust the sections above based on the data breakdown of the original study. We will continue to add to this post as we do more testing.
In other words, all bottles of olive oil we sent to the lab had traces of phthalates. If you are using olive oil to prepare meals for your family, this investigation will be very important to follow to reduce your family’s exposure to phthalates. However, as you can see, every olive oil manufacturer whose products Mamavation studied has work to do to remove phthalates from their products. None of the olive oils that were tested by Mamavation or by Defend Our Health had no detections of phthalates.
Phthalates are typically found inside plastics and in undisclosed fragrances. When inside plastics, they work to make the plastic more flexible. When they are inside fragrances, they help carry the scent longer in the air. These chemical contaminants are found in many types of products that are involved in the food service industry like food service gloves, tubing used in dairy operations, hoses, holding tanks, and conveyor belts inside manufacturing plants. In fact, there are so many places where phthalates can show up because they are legal indirect food additives used in manufacturing for both conventional AND organic foods. There is some movement to restrict some ortho-phthalate chemicals from food packaging but not from manufacturing in general.
Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar in Residence at Duke University, Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina, & Yale University had this to say about the study after her review: “Phthalates cause multiple adverse health effects, including developmental effects on the reproductive system and neurotoxicity. There is also evidence for causing cancer in laboratory animals.”
Additional Studies Finding Phthalates in Olive Oils
Another scientific report co-authored by our friends at Defend Our Health published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology found phthalates in a range of popular children’s foods and organic products in 2023. Included in this report were 8 olive oils.
Mamavation took the results from this report and added it to our list of recommendations on the bottom of this post for your review. 100% of the olive oils tested by Defend Our Health also had trace amounts of phthalates, confirming this is an industry-wide problem. It’s not so much a question of are there phthalates present in oils, it’s a matter of what levels are they present. Both of our studies confirmed that there are different levels present within products.
Phthalates Have Specific Problematic Health Effects
Phthalates are linked to many health effects from several studies on both animals and humans. This is very problematic because phthalates are linked with hormone disruption of the endocrine system, which regulates the body’s hormones, even in trace amounts in low concentrations. Epidemiological studies have revealed that exposure to phthalates adversely affects the level of hormones within the body, which can impact several important health functions. Here are some health effects phthalate exposure is linked to.
- Weight gain & obesity
- Shorter height
- Precocious puberty
- Asthma
- Allergies
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Lower IQ
- Social impairment
- Type II diabetes and insulin resistance
- Poor cardiovascular health
- Thyroid function and increased risk of thyroid cancer
- Females: pregnancy loss and preterm birth, low birth weight, earlier menopause
- Males: genital development, semen quality, reduced “masculine” play, Inhibits testosterone production, Shortened anogenital distance, or shortened “taint” , Shortened length of penis
Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University had this to say about the study during his scientific review: “It is awful that food like olive oil that we consider healthy and promoting of longevity is widely contaminated with phthalates. Olive oil is almost a sacred food that mothers buy thinking they are advancing the health of their children, right? Phthalates can impact us adversely at low doses in many ways, and especially to compromise reproductive development. Mamavation’s study highlights several key points associated with the welfare of our families and the sustainability of our civilization. First, the olive oil manufacturers clearly must not understand how perilous small phthalate exposures, or small exposures of any endocrine-disrupting chemicals, can be. Second, we want all the producers of food products to learn quickly about the endocrine-disrupting chemicals in their products and remove them posthaste. Third, except perhaps for limited special circumstances, we need to stop making phthalates.”
How are Phthalates Regulated in the Food Supply & Children’s Products?
Because phthalates are so problematic to human health, there are varying restrictions on products and food at the federal level There is, however, no consistency among federal agencies to protect the public. For instance, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) restricts certain phthalates within children’s toys and childcare products. They prohibit the import and sale of those products that contain more than 0.1% of the following phthalates:
- di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
- dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
- benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)
- diisononyl phthalate (DINP)
- diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)
- di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPENP)
- di-n-hexyl phthalate (DHEXP)
- dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP)
Even though the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission restricted 8 ortho-phthalates in products intended for use by children, you still see these same chemicals approved as indirect additives by the FDA in the food supply even when those foods are marketed to children. Furthermore, the FDA recently denied a citizen petition in 2022 demanding to take these phthalate chemicals out of the food supply because they impact the hormones of children.
California also has some restrictions under the Prop. 65 list of Carcinogens and Reproductive Toxicants, whereas if products are sold over the limits they provide they must be accompanied by a warning. Any consumer living in California who tests and finds products with specific phthalate amounts outside the limits may bring a Prop. 65 lawsuit six months after serving the company with a public notification letter. However, be advised these limits are not enforceable. California’s “right to know” law is only about warning the consumer about the carcinogenic chemicals present. Therefore, California cannot force companies to recall products that are above these limits. Here are the criteria:
- BBP – Maximum Allowable Dose Levels (MADL) 1,200 μg/day (oral)
- DBP – MADL 8.7 μg/day
- DEHP – No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) 310 μg/day (adult), MADL 4,200 μg/day (intravenous)
- DIDP – MADL 2,200 μg/day
- DINP – NSRL 146 μg/day
- DnHP – MADL 2,200 μg/day
In terms of olive oils, it’s very likely the vast majority of phthalates are finding their way into the product during manufacturing, storage, or transportation. Under the Food & Drug Administration 21 CFR rules, it regulates food, drugs, cosmetics, and food contact materials within the United States. The FDA sanctioned the use of 25 plasticizers via an amendment to food additive regulations: 21 CFR Part 175 through 21 CFR Part 178. These regulations allow the use of phthalates in the food supply as “indirect food additives” that can be present. These chemicals can find their way into your food in many ways during manufacturing such as:
- Adhesives and components of coatings used in food contact materials.
- Components of paper and paperboard, such as paperboard that is in contact with aqueous and fatty foods or used as a defoaming agent on the paperboard.
- Adjuvants, production aids, and sanitizers used in manufacturing.
- Plasticizers in polymeric substances, such as phthalates in plastic PVA or PVC sheets in food contact materials OR vinyl chloride homopolymers or copolymers used in food contact materials.
- Surface lubricants used to make metallic products.
The European Union has banned or restricted several phthalates in a wide range of products since July 2020 such as DEHP, DBP, DIBP, and BBP. These bans and restrictions include children’s swimming aids, flooring, coated fabrics and paper, recreational gear, mattresses, footwear, and office supplies, among other categories. These chemicals are not expected to be found in foods above certain thresholds, however, not all phthalates are restricted or tested for and the European Union is further regulating this category of chemicals.
Potential Ways Phthalates Get Into Olive Oils During Manufacturing
The basic way of making olive oil has existed for thousands of years, but there have been some changes in the last few decades. Unfortunately, every step from olives being picked off a tree to olive oil being packaged and sold can increase the amount of phthalates your family is exposed to.
- Harvest the olives at the exact right time. What is used to capture and store these olives? Is machinery used to pick the olives and if so, are there any plastic parts that touch the olives? What are the olives stored in before they are processed? Is plastic used for storage and transport? Are conveyor belts that take the olives from storage to factory made from plastics? The answer to these questions can increase or decrease the amount of phthalates in the bottle.
- Crush the olives into a paste. What type of machinery is used for this process and is any type of polymer (plastic) used? Are olives moved through any plastic tubing? Are fiber discs used to crush the olives and if so, do they contain any polymers or have they ever been cleaned? If so, this can increase the amount of phthalates in a bottle.
- Separate the solids from the liquids and capture both. The olive paste can be used for animal feed, while the liquid is what is really wanted. The act of separating the solids from the liquids, such as having plastic filters, is also another step that can involve polymers and can increase the amount of phthalates in a bottle of olive oil.
- Then further separate the olive water from the olive oil. This extraction method and refinement is what creates that distinctive flavor and quality and the mechanical means by which this happens has changed quite a bit over the years. Equipment and new processes, like filtering or extraction, may impact the amount of phthalates you are exposed to.
- Bottle up the olive oil and send to the store. We did notice that most of the organic brands were bottled in dark glass bottles, however, what were they exposed to before they were put into that bottle? Did the machine have any plastic parts? Is the olive oil stored in another type of container before they are bottled or run through a machine that may have plastic parts? Again, this can impact the amount of phthalates in the olive oil.
The answers to all the questions here can impact the amount of phthalates found in a bottle of olive oil. From brand to brand, we do not know the answers to these questions. However, each scenario can impact what the laboratory finds. Because olive oil is a high-fat ingredient (and because phthalates are attracted to fat), it’s sensible to expect plastics used in the production of olive oil to be a contaminant issue just as they are with dairy. For instance, at dairy farms, the tubing used to transport the milk to storage can contain phthalates that can leach into the milk. This is an example of how it happens in other high-fat foods. More study of this process is needed to ascertain what the worst contamination issues are in the olive oil industry.
Other Categories of Products Mamavation Has Tested for Toxic Contaminants
Before we launch into the raw data from our lab, we wanted to remind you about all the other studies we have done on indications of PFAS “forever chemicals,” pesticides & heavy metals inside the food and consumer products you may bring inside your home. Each one of these studies were done in a similar fashion as this study with brands sent independently to the lab and raw data of those labs at the bottom of the post.
- Soft Contact Lenses
- Green Beauty Makeup
- Lip Balm
- Condoms & Lubricants
- Dental Floss
- Toilet Paper
- Period Underwear
- Tampons
- Sanitary Pads, Pantiliners, & Incontinence Pads
- Powdered Electrolytes
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Butter Wrappers
- Pasta & Tomato Sauces
- Nut Butters (Peanut butter, etc.)
- Cooking Oils (olive oil, almond oil, canola oil, etc)
- Ketchup
- Activewear (Yoga Pants)
- Sports Bras
- Parchment Paper
- Cupcake Liners
- Plastic-Free Straws
- Sandwich Baggies (Both plastic & more “sustainable” options)
- Fast Food Packaging
- Children’s Probiotics
- Kids’ Backpacks
- Baby Strollers
- Baby Bottles
Mamavation’s Investigation of Olive Oils & Phthalates
For this study, olive oils were purchased between February 2023 and April 2024. Each product was recorded in our database and sent directly to the lab within its original packaging. Unfortunately, 100% of olive oils tested had trace amounts of ortho-phthalates, a class of hormone-disrupting chemicals.
To make this a more user-friendly list, we have combined our raw data with raw data from the study done in 2023 from Defend Our Health to give you more options. As you can see, the purpose behind this consumer study is not about completely removing phthalates from your olive oil, but instead about selecting a food product with lower amounts of phthalates.
Mamavation’s EPA-certified lab tested for the following phthalates. This is not a complete list of all the phthalates that are allowed to be present as an indirect food additive according to the FDA, however, this list goes above and beyond what is already restricted by the European Union or the State of California and mirrors what was tested in 2023 by Defend Our Health.
- Diethyl phthalate (DEP)
- Di-n-propyl phthalate (DPP)
- Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)
- Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
- Dihexyl phthalate (DnHP)
- Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)
- Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP)
- Diisononyl phthalate (DINP)
- Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP)
- Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP)
- bis(2-Ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)
- Dimethyl phthalate (DMP)
- Bis(2-propylheptyl) Phthalate (DPHP)
- Didecyl phthalate (DDP)
Mamavation’s Raw Data on Phthalates in Olive Oil
Olive Oils with The Most Contamination
This category contains olive oils with more than 2,000 ppb total phthalates. Olive oils marked with a * were from testing done in 2023 by Defend Our Health and added here for more variety. Mamavation is basing our study only on products tested by our EPA-certified lab, but also bringing in more options that were tested and released in 2023 for more information for our audience.
- *California Olive Ranch 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 2,646 ppb
- Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil First Cold Pressed 100% California Classic Flavor — Total phthalates = 6,092 ppb
- *Colavita 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil —Total phthalates = 3,148 ppb
- Madhava Clean & Simple Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 3,188.9 ppb
- O California Extra Virgin Olive Oil Organic Crafted from 100% California grown olives First Cold Press — Total phthalates = 4,477.07 ppb
Olive Oils with Intermediate Contamination
This category represents olive oils containing between 1200 ppb and 2000 ppb total phthalates. Olive oils marked with a * were from testing done in 2023 by Defend Our Health and added here for more variety. Mamavation is basing our study only on products tested by our EPA-certified lab, but also bringing in more options that were tested and released in 2023 for more information for our audience. [Update: 2 additional olive oils added to this section based on recent testing updated on 7-15-24]
- Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 1,890.48 [updated 7-15-24]
- *Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 1,739 ppb
- *Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 1,363 ppb
- *Filippo Berio California Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 1,739 ppb
- Gundry MD Chef’s Select Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 1640.76 ppb
- Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive OIl Cold Extracted — Total phthalates = 1,404.29 ppb
- La Tourangelle Artisan Made Extra Virgin Olive Oil Bright & Peppery Organic — Total phthalates = 1,504.05 ppb
- Lucini Organic Premium Select 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil First Cold Press — Total phthalates = 1,445.15 ppb
- Pasolivo Classic Olive Oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil Handcrafted in California — Total phthalates = 1,932.32 ppb
- *Pompeian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Robust — Total phthalates = 1,340 ppb
- *Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Robust — Total phthalates = 1,781 ppb
- Terra Delyssa First Cold Pressed Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 1,619.39 ppb
- Trader Joe’s 100% Italian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 1,422.96 ppb [updated 7-15-24]
Olive Oils with the Least Contamination
This category represents olive oils with less than 1,200 ppb total phthalates. Olive oils marked with a * were from testing done in 2023 by Defend Our Health and added here for more variety. Mamavation is basing our study only on products tested by our EPA-certified lab, but also bringing in more options that were tested and released in 2023 for more information for our audience. [Update: 8 additional olive oils added to this section based on recent testing updated on 7-15-24]
- 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mediterranean Cold Processed — Total phthalates = 827.23 ppb
- Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 671.75 ppb [updated 7-15-24] (Target / Walmart)
- Bertolli Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 318.46 ppb [updated 7-15-24] (Target / Walmart)
- Bono Val di Mazara 1934 Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Organic PDO Cold Extracted Acidity 0.2 – 0.4% — Total phthalates = 1,017.70 ppb (Walmart)
- Bragg Organic 100% Sourced from Greece Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 655.28 ppb ( Walmart)
- *Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 559 ppb ( Walmart)
- Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 938.70 ppb [updated 7-15-24] (Walmart)
- Jovial Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 527.63 ppb [updated 7-15-24] (Walmart)
- Kasandrinos Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 193.97 ppb [updated 7-15-24] (Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 20% off products!)
- Oliveda Olive Tree Pharmacy Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 584.58 ppb [updated 7-15-24]
- SEKA HILLS Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 560.76 ppb [updated 7-15-24]
- Spectrum Culinary Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cold extracted unrefined — Total phthalates = 1,047.98 ppb (Target/ Walmart)
- Trader Joe’s Organic Extra Virgin Spanish Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 576.28 ppb [updated 7-15-24]
Call To Action for Mamavation Readers
We hate delivering to you just bad news, but we are proposing some calls to action that we believe will get the ball rolling. Just because there are no “non-detects” today does not mean that we can’t have improvement in the future. Here’s what we propose consumers & businesses do:
Cinnamon Tested for Glyphosate, Lead, & Cadmium — Buying Guide
Can you add Life Extension’s California Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your testing? They claim to have an extremely high polyphenol count. Would be nice to know its safe.
Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 671.75 ppb [updated 7-15-24] (Target / Walmart)
Bertolli Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 318.46 ppb [updated 7-15-24] (Target / Walmart) I find that it is odd that the organic Bertolli Olive Oil tested hight for PH
Are your findings correct on the above two Bertolli products? I would have thought that the Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil would have been less…yes/no? Thank you for your clarification.
Kirkland Organic Extra Virgin…….. I had read that the provenance of this oil is stellar. Maybe it should be bottled in glass……..
Aside from the specific testing, are these oils pure? Like confirmed purity of evoo and not mixed with canola oil, ect?
my question also! So many are counterfeit and contaminated with cheap oils!
I agree.
I really appreciate you doing this research to protect us!!!! Thank you!!!
That’s what I’d like to know…
How does someone know if the brands continue to be safe? Seems to me their manufacturing processes can change. Even the same company has high and low levels in their products. I’m not sure we can really know an individual bottle is safe.
I would like to see Sam’s Wholesale products included in your tests results. I along with many others shop there.
Yes-please testNapa Valley Naturals Organic EVOO. Just curious where did you come across the Kasandrino’s brand? Almost all of the other brands you chose makes sense as I see them in the co-ops and other mainstream stores on a regular basis.
kasandrino is sold @ whole foods (sometimes on sale) ..sold on line..recommended by culinary folks as it is delicious…dr. mercola says olive oil should be used sparingly..read his new book CELLULAR HEALTH..fabulous..
he is opposed to the use of all #seed oils, as is Cassie Means.
happy to read Mamavations findings on this olive oil..fyi..you can buy direct @ use the coupon..
I have been studying your report on phthalates in olive oil. I saw where Filippo Berio EVOO had the lowest amount of phthalates.
My question is, can you break these tests down one step further as to which oils are sold in plastic vs. dark glass bottles? Filippo Berio packages in PET bottles which can still leak contaminants into the products they contain. PET plastics do break down but they break down into microplastics which is part of the original problem.
Kasandrino’s Organic had way less than Filippo Berio. Maybe Kasandrino’s was later tested after you read the article. I just ordered a bottle from their site and saved $10 with ‘Mamavation’ discount code
Yes, philipo berio had the lowest level at that time, in 2023. However, kadandrinos is the most recent brand tested in July of this year. I’m going to buy it on Amazon. I was confused with philipo berio testing in the 500s when it comes in plastic, yet the cobram estate having 6000 level in it comes in glass! I was pouring it on EVERYTHING, contaminating my family, thinking it was the healthiest thing I could do. I will sue them.
Cobram estate and california olive ranch were two oils that the only ones that were tested to be authentic olive oil. Choose authentic olive oil or choose less phathalates.. what a trade off? Ugh.
Totally agree with this comment, ugh! is right!
Your article “Raw Data on Phthalates in Olive Oil” shows that Cobram estate is the MOST CONTAMINATED, but the another article “Is PFAS Found in Cooking Oil’s – Non-Toxic Purchasing Guide 2022” shows that it is the BETTER Olive Oil. I’m confused…Is there one in particular that you recommend overall?
I was thinking the same thing! Makes me think this is all bogus or extremely unreliable. Also, the philipo berio had been tested as best in 2023, yet it comes in plastic. How can that be right?
Hello,
Any plans to have Brightland, Nuvo Olive oil and Graza tested?
Thanks!
I would like to see if Mercola’s olive oil tested. Thank you.
me too!
Please test Olivefromtheraw.com which you would have to get from their webs site. It’s more expensive but they tout that they have higher polyphenols and oleocanthals than either Dr. Grundy or Kasandrinos.
The tested ours (Kasandrinos) and updated their website. It was by far the lowest by a long shot but I would love to know which testing facility they used.
I just ordered a bottle from your site! Can’t wait to have cleaner olive oil:)
Kalimera Mr. Kasandrinos ????
I have been buying Bragg’s. I had been checking out other producers, I will be checking out your website & products. Your test results were quite impressive compared to the others. I am on a limited income, but a quality product is very important to me. I thank you for your efforts in producing one.
Hello,
If I could I would share ours for free. We are a small family business and the cost of doing things right costs a little more. All of our olives are hand picked (most use machines).
Hope you try us out.
Considering your olive oil is bottled in glass, what causes it to contain any phthalates at all?
Exactly! So why does it have the lowest pfas? It doesn’t make sense. I of course, was using the absolute worst, cobram estate x virgen cali at $25 a bottle, dousing everything I could with it cuz of “health benefits”! Smh it even has that label claiming it’s the best of the best and even won awards! Now I know why my husband has grown breasts! It’s all the phalytes, pfas and hormone disruptors in the olive oil causing it!
Could you please test the Life Extension brand oil. It’s the one with the highest tested polyphenols
What about biodynamic farming (Demeter), do these organic olive oils have the same toxicity?
Will you please test Life Extension® California Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil? It is a Top Pick in ConsumerLab reports.
I appreciate the information but this article is difficult (and honestly rather annoying) to read because of the word Mamavation in every other sentence..
I’m also surprised that the least contaminated oil, is organic Felipe Berio which comes in a plastic bottle. Isn’t plastic supposed to be the boogie man in all of this? So why is it lowest in contamination? Then another test showed that the cleanest, most non detect product of ALL is Coke and Pepsi! Also in plastic and with ACID bubblin away which one would think would melt that plastic and be even MORE contaminated. Yet regular bottled water is very contaminated, even though it doesn’t have any fizz? Make it make sense because right now it sure doesn’t.
Acid doesn’t react with plastic
But I can corrode it with time.
There are so many olive oils out there this needs another part!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE test Asaro organic olive oil it is widely available (walmart) it is reasonably priced it is made from 100% Sicilian olives, the bottles are dark glass they have a harvest date on the bottle and they are certified organic in Italy. And also costco is now selling their Kirkland brand organic olive oil and that should be tested too! Thank you for all the work you do!
I am so happy about this article. Finally we have info that will help us and not selling us something that we try to trust. Thank you Mamavation!
Wow! Such a bummer to see Cobram Estate in the worst category! We have been using them for years due to them being COOC certified. We only use EVOO with the certification seal. I’m curious to know though, how many of these olive oils listed are truly PURE olive oil and not cut with lower quality seed oils. Would love to see a round 2 that includes COOC certified olive oils. We also love Wild Groves!
Mary, There are other certifying organizations, as well, so that should not be the sole deteriming factor of quality. We used to use COOC, but we changed to Applied Sensory, LLC, which is a better fit for us. The certifying process takes into consideration taste defects, and the chemical tests now require testing for Free Fatty Acids, Peroxide Value, and Absorbance/Delta K. I don’t know if the labs we all use even offer these tests and whether they are cost prohibitive. I can relate that our olives are only exposed to plastic picking bins for less than 12 hours in the entire process, then milled with state of the art equipment, and the oils are stored in stainless steel tanks, no plastic parts. We use glass bottles. So, there are many very, very good oils that are certified by several of the approved organizations, so you’ll still have many healthy options available.
What brand is this?
I agree. An updated version. That includes its all real olive oil and not cut would be great along with pfas since we are trying to reduce exposure to both fake olive oil and pfas.
What is the name of yur Olive Oil brand
Kathryn Keeler — When you say “we,” what company are you talking about?
YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was wondering they same thing. I use California Ranch (100% from California) because of an article I read a while ago detailing which oils were not “pure” and were actually mixed with other type of oils. Some of those compromised brands are under “the least contaminated” in this article ????. So do we choose the oil that’s 100% pure olive oil but has some hormone disruption components or do we choose the oil that has other oils mixed in but has less hormone disruptors? It’s so frustrating!
The point is to avoid pfas and hormone disruptors. I’d take a pure oil that has canola in it before I take a 6000 level pfas olive oil that’s supposed to be “pure”
Any chance you could also test the region-specific Kirkland extra virgin olive oils? (Ie. The ones in the glass bottles labeled Italian, Spanish, Greek, etc?)
They each have a completely different supply chain.
Yes, please do test Kirkland’s.
I wish you would test Jovial’s olive oil.
Agree! Jovial and Bionaturae please, if possible.
Sweet Georgia Brown! I’ve been consuming extra virgin olive oil ???? daily for years! None of the brands that I’ve used were tested in the study, but seems highly unlikely that I would’ve randomly picked over the years several olive oil brands that contain very low or no pallets! Good gravy, this is very upsetting.
I noticed the same thing. It feels like we’re being marketed to. I just wanted to know the facts, but it’s almost impossible to sift through.
I see you tested 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mediterranean Cold Processed, but what about the 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 100% CALIFORNIA Unfiltered Cold Processed???
I appreciate the need to educate consumers, as well as the need for a call to action, but it’s difficult to trust a source like mamavation. Why? The most relevant information everyone wants to see (which products are the most safe) is at the bottom of a very lengthy page of text so that readers are forced to see a million ad impressions before we get to it.
Also, there are affiliate links which makes it hard to ignore potential bias.
If you want to really make a difference, be a real advocate or start a true non-profit, and stop showing 50 ads to people along the way (many for the very products you’re warning us about).
The ads support the testing — Which is expensive. You can also donate to Mamavation.
Thank You
No problem with the worst first. Should wake Americans upto the garbage, toxins and products causing historical high cancer rates, autistic rates, lower IQ rates. The poisons put un our bodies that are approved for corporate use (to make big profits) should be exposed EVERYDAY. Most Americans are uneducated to this issue and corporations know it. Follow the money all the way thru the Health system. Most Americans have no idea what has been banned in other western countries. EDUCATION is a necessity and the FDA has there hands tied in many cases. This is not capitalism at its best, but scams at its best.
It’s obvious you didn’t read through the beginning showing your bias and not close to thinking critically . The money gotten from these affiliate links are used to generate more funds to conduct these tests. Don’t comment if you have nothing positive to say and scroll past. Mamavation is contributing positively to the community through enlightment whereas yours is nothing but negativity. If you really think it’s that easy start your own non-profit tests to see if you can keep up with the highcosts and give people a break. Karens everywhere even on mamavation. SMH.
Chef, I agree. I’m so thankful all of this is done. I ordered one with their discount code and saved $10. Why can’t we contribute to someone else’s work that they did?! Sad so many want totally free and not contribute to another’s work. SMH
I scroll down so fast that I never seen any of those ads…..and I for one trust these people. They have to pay for the tests somehow. You seem like a jerk, Critical Thinker.
No, you seem like the jerk. She made a valid point and gave her opinion, as you did and now as I am doing. Since when is it so offensive that a person isn’t supposed to make a valid point or else be torn apart by a bunch of frigid, butt hurt, anti free speech whining babies? She wasn’t name calling, as you and others are. She didn’t make personal attacks, as you did so i vote YOU and company as the winners for #1 jerks. Congratulations!
You can scroll past things you don’t want to read.
Also I think some clarity for ppb vs the mcg for individuals. Since ppb 0.0001%
1 ppb =1/1,000,000,000 convert to %= .0000001%
There is a Table of Contents at the beginning of the articles. You can just hover and enter the topic you want to go to.
I’m disappointed California brand is so high. I thought as long as I bought a single sourced EVOO in a glass bottle, I was good, but apparently it’s one of the worst. Thank you Mamavation!
I read in an article a while ago that listed California Ranch (100% from California) among a few others as being pure, not mixed with other oils. A few of the oils listed in this article under least contaminated were actually not pure and mixed with other oils in that article I read.
i am adding another down vote for critical thinker… who wins the irony award for their name.
Thrive brands please! ???? Jovial, and Chosen (Avocado oil as well) We would be so grateful!
All food products are full of phthalates, MOSH, and MOAH. This article only sheds light on one of these products without offering a real solution. Phthalates can come from the tree itself through the soil and water because we live in a polluted world. Can we stop driving our cars? Can we stop using machines? Can we respect the environment? Even if everyone in a Mamavation society did these things, could we enforce them on the rest of the world? Most of industries are trying its best to mitigate many other forms of contamination, but we are all responsible for some of it, not just industries. In my opinion, to protect our health we have to control the quantity of food we eat every day because these chemical contaminants are everywhere.
The solution is obvious, remove all plastic in the production and storage of food, as well as everything else. Plastic has done nothing but harm everything. It may be time to step back to older more successful tech ie, steel, tin, aluminum and glass that doesn’t pollute our food and water.
That seems to make sense so then why is the brand Filipo Berio, with the LEAST phalates come in a plastic bottle and the more expensive, “organic” in a dark glass bottle the most contaminated? Also coke in the plastic has 0 phalates but bottled water has tons of it. You’d think that the acid in the sida would cause more contamination. Nothing makes sense.
I think it is because the extraction equipment can be coated with Teflon or something so the final bottle isn’t the issue as much as the manufacturing equipment.
i was in an island in panama recently and the cove had black volcanic sand and was awesome, the water in the cove was completely full of shredded plastic bottles and caps – but on a lighter note concerning the terrible effects of plastics on us you should read about the man that invented it and sold the formula to dupont – the story of the family and the money is apropos lol
Yes, this is the obvious ONLY solution. Plastic is also hurting the animal world tremendously. We don’t have power over industry anymore. We are self-destructing. Getting rid of PLASTICS is the way to go.
AGREE with you!
From my understanding of the article they were trying to find why pfas are so prevalent in food and so they looked into the oils because they are used to make any other product. I think that you are right and these chemicals come from many sources..
I have noticed that many products containing oil as a base seem to be rancid, and it seems to be accepted by the population. I was getting some good cbd oil for a while until they were all rancid and started tasting really weird and the supplier said they were having trouble with the oil touching the rubber and also air seeping into the containers. I get nut milks all the time that taste a little rancid and they are not past expiration. Lately, I’ve had to switch soaps because all the dr bronner soap bars at whole foods are brand new and yet they smell rancid.
I think 2 things go on with the oil. The more I read I learn that it should be refrigerated but noone does it. When the oils get old they have the opposite effect and become a carcinogen, even without pfas present. The second thing is that maybe the oils can dissolve rubber and plastic similar to how they say that oil will break down a latex condom.
Yeah somethjng needs to change though.
Maybe they make the bar soap out of older product.
Doing some math. Not sure how accurate but it really depends on which one we focused on (if it was all DBP). I know ideally it would be zero… but I am confuses me how plastic bottles are fine. What if all the phalates in a safe bottle is mainly DBP.
2000 ppb is about 0.0002% of the oil. The density of olive oil is ~0.92 g/mL. If a bottle of oil is 25 fl oz would the that be about 740 mL or 681 g. 0.0002% (0.000002) of 671 g is 0.0013 g or 1340 mcg in the whole bottle or 27 mcg/ serving.
Still not great but what about where the olives are grown…
Lots if questions for me
She did give solutions and a way to aproach the businesses. You comment is useless, with no information only your random opinion on how you are going to continue blindly contaminate your family. If the companies with low contamination are responsible enough to ethically supply food, so should the other companies. The cheapest brands ($10/bottle) seem to be the least contaminated and the highest priced ($50+/bottle) have the $ to find and remove the source of contamination.
I rather lose the taste and purity of oil, than ingest prime oil that’s contaminated.
I found that recently when I went to buy mayo. In checking ratings on the labels, the cheapest brand was the best rated. All the others were horrible ratings. I can’t remember which label checking app I used that time.
That is moronic reasoning. So you can’t totally remove contaminants from food, so screw it? The point is to limit the contaminants as best as you can, and reward the companies that provide these products by buying them. Vote with your wallet, duh.
The question I have were these Olive oils first tested for purity, since it has been reported that as much as 70% of Olive oil, is mixed with other oils
Trader Joes offers 2 Organic Olive Oils–both excellent–could they be tested? Also Thrive’s. thank you!
As usual. the efforts here to make people aware and educated is to be greatly applauded. But, most of these “Olive” oils listed aren’t even Olive oil, or have only a small amount of low grade Olive oil with the rest being seed oil. There were a lot of studies on Fake foods, especially Oilve oil and several brands listed here weren’t even Olive oil at all. Frankly, there are currently only two brands that I would buy from and unfortunately I don’t know if toxin testing has been done on either of them. I currently buy Kassadrinos Olive oil which is grown and produced in Greece and the other is Bariani Olive oil, but haven’t purchased it in a long time due to excessive cost. So, really the questions should be in this order first;
▪︎What brands actually contain 100% Olive oil?
▪︎Which of those brands contain High Quality Olive oil, that’s not rancid and expired? There should be a Production date on the label; as long as it’s been stored in a cool, dark place, in a dark green bottle, it can keep for 18 months from the Production date. (By the way, “Light Olive Oil” is cut with seeds oils, there’s no such thing as “lighter” olives)
▪︎Only after the above questions are answered, is it worth determining which High Quality Olive oils are free of toxins.
That would save time and money, because you wouldn’t even want to buy any of those other fake and/or inferior brands. I don’t and won’t buy any of those mentioned here, even though I unfortunately did in the past. I would however like to know how Kassadrinos and Bariani’s brands hold up.
YES!!!!!
ALL of this stuff is coming right out of the airplanes daily, for decades and worse now than ever. Just look up. And most of this is probably seed oil and not real olive oil anyhow.
Test the Bryan Johnson olive oil. They claim to be the best on the market. Thanks
I agree. I want 100% olive oil!
Interesting imput on this article. The problem for me, Dr. Gundry’s amount is over 1600 ppb. Dr. Gundry has had articles/ads discussing the low quality commercial olive oil brands which are mainly inflammatory producing oils diluted with olive oil. It’s good to know-albeit frustrating results-that there are companies like this one that are testing conusmer products which have an impact on our health.
I wholeheartedly agree .
I love Bariani. If you don’t start with a high quality olive oil in the first place what’s the point. Would be interesting to speak to Bariani
There’s an excellent book about olive oil that came out 10- 12 years ago by a New York times columnist.
Great read about the horrors of the olive oil industry.
Yes 100% olive oil organic from a single origin
I always used to use Bariani…I am a Certified Holistic Cancer Coach and participate in several groups devoted to helping people beat cancer through holistic and natural means. Bariani was the olive oil whose name kept coming up as being one of the best – if not The Best. However, the last two bottles I purchased (directly from their website), smell and taste rancid. I then started to get Olive Oil from Olive Oil Nation (recommended by Chris Wark) on a subscription basis and 3 oils would come at a time and they all tasted rancid. I am wondering if my taste buds are “off”…. the dates on all these were good; the oil was supposed to be “fresh” and yet they were unusable. It’s discouraging to spend the money only to find that the product cannot be used.
Hi – can you test Bertolli Classico Olive oil please to the list thank you ????
Please test a very popular brand that is from Texas and shipped all over the country. Texas Hill Country Olive Co. 2530 W. Fitzhugh Rd. Dripping Springs, Texas 78620. Their best sellers are The Millers Blend and Super Greek. Thank You!
Please test Graza and Kirkland California extra virgin olive oil
Thank you !!!
I second that!
Wonder why California oils are the worst offenders. I used Cobram for a while ???? It seems all oil made industrially with modern equipment is unsafe. It seems there is something to the SOS diet given most salt & sugar is contaminated too.
I just bought Brightland olive oil… also from California. Now I am wondering if it was worth it.
I used cobram estates and it always made me sick….terrible abdominal pain for hours…I had to stop using….never had this problem with other evoos.
Can you please include out of all of the low phthalate levels are actually 100% authentic olive oil and not mixed with other oils. Unfortunately the problem isn’t just heavy metals, we also have to look at quality. I would rather consume a high quality 100% EVOO with some what of a higher levels of phthalate than consuming one that’s low phthalate but mixed with Canola or other garbage oil.
Hi would love for you to test P.J. Kabos and Oliveda!
Eso es correcto
*Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Total phthalates = 559 ppb
The link to the Amazon site shows that it comes in an rPET bottle. That can’t be good!
I was thinking the exact same thing.
Exactly! So why does it have the lowest pfas? It doesn’t make sense. I of course, was using the absolute worst, cobram estate x virgen cali at $25 a bottle, dousing everything I could with it cuz of “health benefits”! Smh it even has that label claiming it’s the best of the best and even won awards! Now I know why my husband has grown breasts! It’s all the phalytes, pfas and hormone disruptors in the olive oil causing it!
Can you please test kirklands organic extra virgin ?
Thanks,
Sheri
Brightland?
It would be great to test Mercola’s solspring products. Thanks for all you do!
Do Bellucci!!
please test Costco Kirkland olive oil and let us know.
This
Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive OIl Cold Extracted — Total phthalates = 1,404.29 ppb
A while back, I completely stopped using it. I’m also choosing avocado oil, and I like the flavor better. Yesterday I tasted my iron skillet. I had just wiped it with Trader Joe’s Olive Oil. It tasted wierdly spicy. I pulled down the oil, which I’ve purchased within a year, and it had a very bitter, spicy taste. I’m thinking maybe it had gone rancid? I pulled it down to under my sink to oil something with, instead of eating it.
No more olive oil but still addicted to olives!
All good olive oil are spicy. The spicyness is due to the polyphenol content, which are very healthy (they are anti-oxidant).
That is quite funny, no offense. You found good olive oil but you never had it before, so you threw out the good stuff because you expected it to taste like liquid shortening….
Can you please test Carapelli? It’s sold at Whole Foods.
Carapelli Organic Extra Virgin user as well. Would like to know more…
What about Carapelli?
Can you add Field Day to the testing list – big brand. Thabks!
Field Day First cold-pressed extra virgin?
I bought Field Day once at my local food co-op last year. One sniff from the bottle, I took it back. Made my stomach turn.
Please test Kirkland from Costco
She did… it’s on the bad list!
She did
Kirkland is under the Intermediate category above.
She already did. Its bad…….
Will you be testing other oils–such as coconut oil? MCT oil?
Yes, we will
Great!
I believe there are many of us here who use Thrive Market brand products.
It would be very helpful if you included Thrive brands in your testing.
Thank you
Would love for you to test Enzo. They are considered by many experts to be one of the best quality olive oils. Their process involves many unique precautions to prevent oxidation of the product, so now am wondering if they might also be aware of the phthalates issue.
How much does it help to immediately transfer the newly purchased olive oil into a glass container?
Not at all. Did you read the article? She explained in great detail how processing method is the culprit.
Have you tested Bertolli, a common mass grocery-chain brand? My family can’t tolerate extra virgin olive oil. Thus, we only use Bertolli’s “extra light” version on occasion. I would love to seeing testing for Bertolli or any other “light” olive oil so that we can weigh our trade offs. TY
Please test olivefromtheraw.com. It has the highest levels of polyphenols. You only can get it online at their site.
Is it just the California Ranch in plastic bottle? Is glass bottle okay?
The brand I use isn’t on here. Jovial.
Us too!
We work – and pay – to get our Jovial Olive Oil shipped here, and have for years.
Thanks for writing that…….I want to know about Jovial, (but I kinda don’t)…..
sigh.
I see you tested 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mediterranean Cold Processed, but what about the 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 100% CALIFORNIA Unfiltered Cold Processed???
Same here! I love Jovial but I would like to know how it tests! Same for Thrive (which I don’t use but have considered).