Virgin Avocado Oil

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Virgin avocado oil is an unrefined edible oil cold-pressed or mechanically extracted from the pulp of the avocado fruit (Persea americana), retaining its natural green pigments, tocopherols, sterols, and monounsaturated fatty acids. It is used as a culinary oil for cooking, dressing, and frying, as well as in cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Virgin avocado oil is broadly considered safe for the general adult population, with no significant adverse effects reported at typical dietary intakes and no IARC carcinogenicity classification. It is high in monounsaturated fats (primarily oleic acid) and phytochemicals, and animal and limited human studies suggest cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits. No Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) has been established, as it is treated as a conventional food ingredient rather than a regulated food additive; no formal regulatory body has identified safety concerns for the general population.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Avocado oil is not listed as a regulated food additive in EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (the Union list of food additives). It is regulated as a conventional food ingredient/foodstuff. No specific EFSA safety opinion on virgin avocado oil as a food additive has been issued. No E-number is assigned.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Avocado oil is recognized as an edible vegetable oil under FSSAI regulations. No specific ADI or maximum level is prescribed for virgin avocado oil as a standalone food additive; it is regulated as a conventional food/edible oil.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Virgin avocado oil is considered GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) as a conventional food ingredient under FDA regulations. It does not require pre-market approval and has no established maximum daily intake. Vegetable oils derived from edible fruits with a history of safe use fall within the general GRAS framework under 21 CFR Part 182.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Other — Individuals with latex-fruit syndrome may experience cross-reactive allergic responses to avocado and avocado-derived products including avocado oil, though refined avocado oil may carry lower allergenic risk than virgin/cold-pressed forms due to lower protein content.

Ibs — Avocado is listed as a moderate-to-high FODMAP food; while avocado oil is largely fat and very low in fermentable carbohydrates, individuals with IBS who are highly sensitive to avocado-based products may wish to monitor their response.

Heart Disease — Although avocado oil is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and studies suggest cardiovascular benefit, individuals with existing heart disease or dyslipidemia on prescribed low-fat diets should consult their physician before significantly increasing intake, as it is calorie-dense.

Diabetes — While limited evidence suggests avocado oil may improve postprandial glycemia and insulin profiles, the high caloric density of any oil requires attention to portion size for individuals managing diabetes or insulin resistance.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) — FDA. fda.gov
2PubMed. Oxidative Stability of Virgin Avocado Oil Enriched with Avocado Leaves and Olive-Fruit-Processing By-Products via Ultrasound-Assisted Maceration, 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Avocado Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in US Adults, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Avocado oil: Production and market demand, bioactive components, implications in health, and tendencies and potential uses, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Avocado Oil: Characteristics, Properties, and Applications, 2019. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6PubMed. Avocado Oil Supplementation Modifies Cardiovascular Risk Profile Markers in a Rat Model of Sucrose-Induced Metabolic Changes, 2014. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched6 citations