Saturday, September 25, 2010

Another myth debunked: testing a natural oil for purity by refrigerating it to see if it solidifies


I thought that the test sounded strange. If an oil were mixed with another oil that solidifies in the same way, that would not be a true test. Jojoba oil for example, solidifies when left in the fridge and it is technically a liquid wax.

So, I researched it.

Why that test is not valid regarding the purity of any oil for a number of reasons. About the author of the text quoted in part below. The same things exactly would apply to other oils.
"Clever fraudsters will just add enough ‘other stuff’ so as to just make it difficult for authorities to definitively say that “yes this oil is fraudulent” without having to resort to expensive sophisticated testing and lengthy court cases. An adulterated olive oil that contains 90% extra virgin olive oil and 10% canola oil will still have a high level of monounsaturated fat* and will therefore solidify at fridge temperature. Next to the authentic EVOO, it will look exactly the same."

Labelling and the right seals plus a little Internet or email investigation will tell you whether an oil is approved, certified and pure and where it does come from. If the right questions are not replied to by email with a way to back them up, I would buy from another supplier or purchase a different brand of the oil in question.