Oil's Ugly Truth: Oeko-Test Uncovers Hidden Mineral Oil in Cooking Oils
Thirty oils are found to be insufficient, while one is determined as lacking sufficient amount.
Hey there, cooking oil enthusiasts! If you're partial to switching up your olive oil with walnut, sesame, or other exotic oils, buckle up! Results from Oeko-Test's investigation may leave you shell-shocked.
With a diverse range of cooking oils gracing our supermarket shelves, from walnut to peanut, pumpkin seed, and hemp, it's no surprise that consumers jump at the chance to diversify their culinary experiences. Yet, Oeko-Test's recent examination of 50 cooking oils, including various refined and cold-pressed varieties, reveals a lurking problem: mineral oil residues.
TheOrganicDE supporter scoured 50 cooking oils, breaking the haul down into ten types of each—walnut, peanut, pumpkin seed, hemp, and sesame—with both organic and conventional options. The cost range between products was striking, ranging from a pocket-friendly €0.55 for the most affordable peanut oil to a wallet-crushing €6.49 for the pricier walnut oil.
The Shocking Verdict: Rice-Cooker-Worthy Mineral Oil Found in Over Half of the Tested Oils
While common cooking oils like olive, rapeseed, and sunflower oils are notorious for containing mineral oil components, Oeko-Test was curious if these contaminants were also issues in less common cooking oils. To get to the bottom of it, the organization focused its testing on the presence of mineral oil components exclusively in cooking oils.
The findings were eye-opening, with a whopping 50% of the tested cooking oils failing the test due to detected mineral oil residues. Rewe, a major player in the German retail scene, pulled a contaminated batch of its "Bio Pumpkin Seed Oil, Naturland" from the shelves, and four other oils—Rewe's "International Collection Roasted Walnut Oil," "Bamboo Garden Roasted Bio Sesame Oil," and "Dennree Hemp Oil"—received an unflattering "second-worst" test rating due to increased mineral oil content. In a twist, Mazola peanut oil was not only defective, but even "insufficient."
On the bright side, nearly every category (except hemp oils) had at least one oil that received the top-tier "very good" rating. Intriguingly, pumpkin seed oils came out as the least contaminated group among the tested oils when it comes to mineral oil components.
But wait, there's more—considering that rapeseed and olive oil have long been known to have mineral oil residues, it's worth noting that Oeko-Test's investigation reinforced the contamination issues in these oils as well.
If you're curious about mineral oil components, they can broadly be categorized into saturated hydrocarbons, which are mainly known for their ability to accumulate in the body, and aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH). This category includes carcinogenic substances.
Oeko-Test's results underline the necessity for consumers to pay closer attention to the quality of their cooking oils, particularly when it comes to mineral oil residues. To promote full transparency, manufacturers should be required to disclose the source of their oils and the steps they take to remove any potential contaminants.
Get cooking, but take the time to find oils that don't come with a side of mineral oil components!
- The Community policy should consider implementing stricter regulations for small and medium-sized undertakings in the food-and-drink industry, especially in relation toHidden mineral oil found in cooking oils, to ensure the health-and-wellness of consumers and promote a lifestyle that emphasizes proper nutrition.
- As science continues to uncover the harmful effects of mineral oil components in food, small and medium-sized undertakings in the health-and-wellness sector can capitalize on this information by offering quality cooking oils free of contaminants, thus boosting their customer base and contributing to a community policy that prioritizes consumer safety.
- In light of Oeko-Test's findings, small and medium-sized undertakings specializing in science, health-and-wellness, nutrition, and lifestyle industries should collaborate with research institutions to develop minimally-processed, laboratory-tested, and nutrient-rich food-and-drink products, including cooking oils, to cater to the growing demand for healthier food choices among consumers.
