Stiftung Warentest Gourmet oils are often deficient

Toxic substances in gourmet oils could cause cancer, liver damage and infertility
Many gourmet oils contain hazardous pollutants. Stiftung Warentest comes to this conclusion in an investigation of 25 products, including organic edible oils. Accordingly, linseed oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil and argan oil often can not do what they promise. Because the gourmet oils are not only considered to be particularly tasty, but also very healthy thanks to valuable fatty acids.

Many gourmets swear by gourmet oils
Seed and seed oils are the icing on the cake for gourmets in many dishes. So grape seed oil is ideal for goat cheese recipes and the expensive argan oils for salads and vegetables. The gourmet oils should also be very healthy.

Edible oils in the test: Many products can not convince. (Image: sarymsakov.com/fotolia.com)

According to a study by Stiftung Warentest, however, the latter is often not the case. On the contrary, many oils contain substances that are hazardous to health and could only be rated "poor". Only seven Gournetoils received the rating "good", including a low-cost linseed oil for 11.80 euros per liter of Alnatura brand. None of the products rated "very well".

In total, 23 of the tested Gournet oils contained so-called PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which include the carcinogenic benzo (a) pyrene. Mistakes in manufacturing or environmental pollution can cause such toxins to enter the oil, such as when the trees and thus the fruits are exposed to car exhaust.

In almost every second oil, the testers discovered mineral oil or so-called aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH), which are also considered carcinogenic. The highest levels of these pollutants were detected in a grapeseed oil.

Organic gourmet oils did not always fare better
Eight oils had a high content of phthalates. These are plasticizers that can cause liver damage and infertility. Phthalates have been banned since 2007 for materials that come into contact with products such as cooking oil. Nevertheless, the testers discover the harmful pollutants in the oils.

Another frightening test result: All tested gourmet oils contained 3-MCPD and glycidol, which are produced during refining. Both substances are suspected of being carcinogenic.

Of the eleven oils that were rated "deficient", six are bioproducts. Accordingly, "bio" here is no guarantee of quality and quality. "Two linseed oils are even not marketable and should not have been sold - because of too high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)," informed Stiftung Warentest. One of the two worst-priced gourmet oils is Kunella Bio-linseed oil, the other is Neuco Linosan linseed oil. The test winners include Alnatura sesame oil and Rapunzel walnut oil, both organic products. (Ag)