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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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]
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.
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.
Tallow for Cooking
Tallow For Personal Care
Bello Tallow Pure Tallow — non-detect (Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 10% off products!)
Traditional Nutrients Tallow — non-detect
Beef Suet For All Purposes (Non-Rendered Tallow)
Parker Pastures Beef Suet — Non-detect (Get $25 off your first order of $150 or more by using discount code “WELCOME”)
White Oak Pastures Beef Suet — Non-detect (Get $20 off any order over $150. One use per customer. Use “MAMAVATION” at checkout or click on link for it to be automatically applied.)