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Cooking Oils Tested for Phthalates Guide with Cooking oils in glass bottles in background

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Which cooking oils have the least amount of toxic phthalate contamination and safest to use to cook your home meals? This was the question we kept getting that we couldn’t answer. So we decided to spend some time and money testing additional cooking oil products (olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, & tallow) for phthalates at an EPA-certified laboratory. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you safest coffee tested for pesticides & PFAS, safest salt tested for heavy metals & microplastics, & Earl Grey tea tested for PFAS, & protein powders tested for pesticides, heavy metals, PFAS, & phthalates, now join us for our latest consumer study on phthalates in cooking oils — olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, & tallow.

Disclosure: This consumer study is released in partnership with Environmental Health News. Original scientific reviews of each individual consumer study 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. Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN, medically reviewed this post. 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 some 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. Click “yes” when asked if the gift is in honor of someone and type “Mamavation.” Thank you!  

Cooking Oils being poured into a spoon

Mamavation Found Phthalates in Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Ghee & Tallow

In 2023, Defend Our Health published a study in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology that found phthalates in a range of popular children’s foods and organic products. At that point, Mamavation decided to start conducting our own independent testing with an EPA-certified laboratory to give our audience more information about which cooking oils contain phthalates and what those levels look like. 

Mamavation found phthalates in all cooking oils. However, each category of cooking oils had big ranges of how much those exposures were. Some exposures are very large, while others are smaller. Therefore, what we decided to do was present a range for each category to you to let you make your own decisions based on what our lab had to say about each product. This investigation is a compilation of all those findings at the bottom of this post. So scroll to the bottom if that is what you are looking for.

Phthalates are typically found inside plastics and 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, which is most of the problem. 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.

Different types of cooking oils on a table

Types of Phthalates Found in Our Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Ghee, & Tallow Study

Our EPA-certified laboratory found nine different types of phthalates in the cooking oils we sent to them. Here’s a brief breakdown of each type of phthalate our lab found.

  • Benzyl butyl phthalate (BzBP): This type of phthalate is used as a plasticizer in the production of polyvinyl chloride and other plastics. You’ll find this in sealing, coating, painting, adhesive products, and formulations. Phthalates are linked to reduced fetal testosterone indicating anti-androgenic effects in animal studies.
  • Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP): DCHP is a Phthalate ester (PAEs) and a type of persistent organic pollutant (POP). It’s a phlegmatizer (i.e., lowers the excitement of molecules and keeps them from exploding) and dispersion agent used in adhesives, as a sealant or in textile printing, as a co-plasticizer in PVC, rubber, and other plastics. This phthalate is classified as toxic for reproduction and has endocrine-disrupting properties and has also been linked to high cholesterol, & cardiovascular disease. EPA designated DCHP as a High-Priority Substance in December 2019 and has been reviewing its toxicity ever since.
  • Diisononyl phthalate (DINP) is a plasticizer. The European Union has restricted this chemical in food-contact materials because it is problematic for human health. DINP is also listed on the California Prop 65 list of carcinogens and reproductive toxicants.
  • Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP): Found commonly in PVC plastics, artificial leather, toys, carpet backing, covering on wires and cables, and pool liners. This chemical is also on California’s Prop. 65 list of carcinogens and reproductive toxicants. It’s associated with health concerns, including liver & kidney toxicity, developmental issues, endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, asthma & allergies, & thyroid problems.
  • Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP): DEHP is a highly toxic endocrine disruptor. It was also the most common phthalate found by our lab and is found commonly in building products (wallpaper, wire, and cable insulation), clothing (footwear, raincoats), car products, food packaging, medical devices, and children’s products (toys, grip bumpers). This chemical is also on California’s Prop. 65 list of carcinogens and reproductive toxicants. In addition, it’s been linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, developmental issues, liver & kidney toxicity, asthma & allergies, & thyroid problems.
  • Bis(2-propylheptyl) Phthalate (DPHP): This type of phthalate is a substitute for other high molecular weight phthalates used primarily for high-temperature applications such as cable wires, roofing membranes, and food containers. It is used to soften plastics and is a general-use plasticizer under investigation as an endocrine disruptor. This phthalate is associated with additional health concerns like reproductive toxicity, prenatal, perinatal, & post-natal toxicity, and genotoxicity.
  • Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP): This type of phthalate is a colorless, odorless, oily liquid that doesn’t evaporate easily used to keep plastics soft or more flexible. It is used for medical tubing and blood storage bags, wire and cables, carpetback coating, floor tile, adhesives, cosmetics, and pesticides. Animal studies have demonstrated increased fetal malformations and reduced body weights of offspring. DnOP comprises about 20% of commercial C6-10 phthalate mixtures used in flooring and carpet tiles, tarps, pool liners, and garden hoses. DnOP is approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as an indirect food additive which is typically used in manufacturing as seam cements, bottle cap liners, and conveyor belts. DNOP are classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as priority environmental pollutants.
  • Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): This type of phthalate is an organic compound commonly used as a plasticizer, and as an additive to
    adhesives or printing inks. It usually is a colorless oil, but can have a yellow color. Use of this substance in cosmetics, such as in nail polishes, is banned in the European Union. DBP is one of the six phthalic acid esters found on the Priority Pollutant List regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Animal studies have observed that DBP is toxic to fetal development. This phthalate is associated with additional health concerns like reproductive toxicity, prenatal, perinatal, & post-natal toxicity, and genotoxicity.
  • Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP): This phthalate is a short-branched low molecular weight phthalate. It’s found commonly in safety glass, lacquer coatings, insect repellents, cosmetics, ink, soap, and household cleaning products. This phthalate has been linked to weight gain among other health problems via animal studies such as endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, liver & kidney toxicity, & cancer concerns.

Woman cooking on the kitchen counter

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 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 many important health functions. Here are some health effects phthalate exposure is linked to.

Cooking oil

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, some of the same chemicals, approved as indirect additives by the FDA, are still found in the food supply even when those foods are marketed to children. Furthermore, the FDA denied a citizen petition in 2022 demanding that these phthalate chemicals be removed from the food supply because they impact children’s hormones.

California also has some restrictions under the Prop. 65 list of Carcinogens and Reproductive Toxicants, requiring products sold over the limits to 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 phthalate-criteria:

  • BBP – Maximum Allowable Dose Levels (MADL) 1,200 μg/day (oral) (Note: ug = a microgram = 1 millionth of a gram. 1 gram = 0.035 oz.)
  • DBP – MADL 8.7 μg/day
  • DIDP – MADL 2,200 μg/day
  • DnHP – MADL 2,200 μg/day
  • DEHP – No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) 310 μg/day (adult), MADL 4,200 μg/day (intravenous adult), MADL 600 (intravenous infant), MADL 410 ug/day (oral for adult), MADL 58 ug/day (oral for infant).
  • DINP – NSRL 146 μg/day

It could be possible that 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, FDA 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.

Cooking Oils with onions and spices on a marble table

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 certified lab and raw data of those labs at the bottom of the post.

Cooking oils with grass and trees in the background

Mamavation’s Investigation of Cooking Oils & Phthalates

Mamavation has condensed our olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, and tallow investigations into one easy to read post. We will also keep this post updated when we release more testing results of cooking oils, so feel free to come back here to get more updated info in the future. Our EPA-certified labratory has tested for fourteen phthalate chemicals with each category. According to the FDA, this is not a complete list of all the phthalates that are allowed as indirect food additives in commerce. 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)

You will notice that each category of cooking oils will have different levels of phthalates. We did this to showcase what levels we were seeing category by category. If you are paying attention, you’ll notice that some tallows in the “not our favorite” category would qualify for “best” in the avocado oil or olive oil category. That shows you how significantly higher those exposures are via category. So this will also help you decide which cooking oils you want to focus on most of the time in your kitchen.

Different spices and cooking oils on the table

Not Our Favorite Cooking Oils & Fats

Avocado Oil

This category contains avocado oils sent to our EPA-certified laboratory, which found phthalate sum levels between 2,000 ppb and 20,000 ppb. Products marked with an * came from the Defend Our Health Study.

Coconut Oil

This category contains coconut oils with more than 800 ppb total phthalates. Coconut 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. Please note, USDA organic certification does not prohibit the use of phthalates in manufacturing.

Olive Oil

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.

Ghee

This category represents products sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have a total of over 600 ppb of phthalates. It would represent the group with the most contamination.

Tallow

Over 200 ppb total sum of phthalates.

Young woman in apron on modern kitchen smelling olive oil

Better Cooking Oils & Fats

Avocado Oil

This category contains avocado oils sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have phthalate sum levels between 800 ppb and 2,000 ppb.

Coconut Oil

This category represents coconut oils containing between 400 ppb and 800 ppb total phthalates.

Olive Oil

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]

Ghee

This category represents products sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have between 200 and 600 ppb total sum of phthalates. This would represent the group with an intermediate amount of contamination.

Tallow

Between 45 ppb and 200 ppb of total sum of phthalates.

Man pouring cooking oil into a salad in the kitchen

Best Cooking Oils & Fats

Avocado Oil

This category contains avocado oils sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have phthalate sum levels less than 800 ppb.

Coconut Oil

This category represents Coconut oils with less than 400 ppb total phthalates. We recommend purchasing from this list of coconut oils.

Olive Oil

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]

Ghee

This category represents products sent to our EPA-certified laboratory and found to have less than 200 ppb total sum of phthalates. This would represent the group with the least amount of contamination.

Tallow

Less than 45 ppb of total sum phthalates.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. John

    The article is unreadable because of the excessive amount of ads. There are so many ads that when trying to scroll through page I kept accidentally activating ads and taken away from the story. I give up. It looks like you are trying to do good work, but you ruin it with ads

    Reply

  3. Monica Hash

    Trader Joe’s is in many states and neighborhoods. A favorite to people store. Could you test their Italian, California and Greek olive oils please. Being an affordable store, lots of people shop there.
    Thanks so much

    Reply

  6. Yvonne

    Hi, have you tested the Costco brand in glass bottle organic avocado oil for phthalates? I’m curious if this one is good. Not sure if the process of extracting the avocado oil has something to do with it containing more toxins. The bottle doesn’t say much about if it is cold pressed, etc.

    Reply

  7. m.arcy

    Super helpful post… a couple concerns are that while focusing on just the pthalates we lose some other serious considerations that need “charting”–one is that many olive oils are adulterated, even among the organics and it seems even a higher price points–so getting a “cut” oil (it may even have soybean or corn oil other really low heart-UNhealthy oils added) that’s pthalate-free still ends up being a bad choice. Then, nearly all Avocado oils are rancid–if I recall only Chosen brand (not the best in pthalates) is one of the only non-oxidized oils.

    Last not least is that many of the products, including organic ones, have heavy metal contamination. Lead-Safe Mama (Tamara Rubin) tests for metals. So what we “choosey mamas” need most is a combined effort as no one person can do it all–perhaps you and Tamara can combine forces on certain products that make sense (food ones) so we can see metal and pthalate profiles “together”–then for some of these like oils–olive, avocado for sure–the oxidation level and “other oil” levels should also be checked. This isn’t to in any way reduce the magnitude or importance of all you do to get this info out–it’s huge and greatly appreciated. It just seems that our food is so contaminated and adulterated on many fronts that if we close our eyes to all but one issue, we may be purchasing a product with other issues just as bad or worse. Exhausting and costly…. Maybe a deep-pocketed investor with no food industry contacts can be an “angel” and help cover testing more products from more “angles?”

    (ps how do Trader Joe’s organic olive oils check out? The top one on your list looks great but is significantly more–some of us cannot manage $30/bottle olive oils even with a small discount–I mention this without judgment and bless all who can manage that price point, about double+ some of the organic brands…)

    Reply

  8. Jill

    Does anyone know if any of the oils on the best list are 100% pure? I’ve read that many olive & avocado oils actually have dangerous seed oils mixed in. Now very concerned that the “pure” olive oil I switched to is super high in phthalates.

    Reply

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