Impure Cooking Oils: Just 10 out of 50 Brands Found Free from Mineral Oil Contamination

Impure Cooking Oils: Just 10 out of 50 Brands Found Free from Mineral Oil Contamination

Uncovering the Unseen: Are Less Common Cooking Oils Hiding Mineral Oil Contaminants?

Let's delve into a revealing exploration. Have you been wondering if it's only the frequently used olive, rapeseed, and sunflower oils that harbor mineral oil issues, or is this a concern that spreads to less commonly used oils? The spotlight cranks up on this topic as the magazine "Öko-Test" sheds light on the subject.

To get to the heart of the matter, intrepid testers gathered 50 cooking oils from various retailers, ranging from 55 cents to 6.49 euros per 100 ml, with 30 organic products included. The team selected 10 each of walnut, peanut, pumpkin seed, hemp, and sesame oils for the test. In issue 7/2025, they unveiled their sobering findings: Only 10 cooking oils managed to scrape a clean bill of health, while a staggering 31 failed.

The good news? With the exception of hemp oil, there's always at least one oil in each product category that received a "very good" rating - but this distinction merely signifies that these oils are free of mineral oil contamination or have minute traces. This rating doesn't necessarily speak to the oil's quality, taste, or origin.

Champions of Clarity: The Ten Test Winners

Bookmark these winners with a "very good" rating:

• Biokontor Walnut Oil (4.76 euros/100 ml)
• Ölmühle Solling Walnut Oil nativ (5.56 euros/100 ml)
• Rewe Bio sesame oil nativ Naturland (1.20 euros/100 ml)
• Allgäuer Ölmühle Bio pumpkin seed oil (4 euros/100 ml)
• Ölmühle Birnstingl 100% Styrian pumpkin seed oil g.g.A. (2.60 euros/100 ml)
• Byodo Styrian pumpkin seed oil g.g.A. roasted (5.20 euros/100 ml)
• Reichhold Feinkost Château de l'huile Styrian pumpkin seed oil g.g.A. (5.20 euros/100 ml)
• Edeka Genussmomente Styrian pumpkin seed oil g.g.A. (1.88 euros/100 ml)
• Ölmühle Esterer Styrian pumpkin seed oil g.g.A. from Thomas Niederreuther (2.80 euros/100 ml)
• Ölmühle Solling Peanut oil nativ (3.16 euros/100 ml)

Pumpkin seed oils appear to outpace other counterparts in having the least mineral oil contamination, with the lab making the most findings in peanut oils.

Watchdog Overlooking the Watchdog: "Öko-Test" Questions the Lack of Action

"Öko-Test" points a finger at manufacturers who've belittled their concerns about mineral oil contamination for a decade, receiving in return consistently the same replies: There are no legal limit values for mineral oil, or only ambiguous values set by the industry itself.

The implications of saturated hydrocarbons on the human body are still under investigation. So, why does "Öko-Test" remain stricter than the rule-setters? "We aim to protect consumers proactively," explains the publication. A silver lining: At least one supplier has removed the criticized batch from sale.

Sources:[1] European Food Safety Authority[2] Deutsche Umwelthilfe

1. The ethical and sustainable lifestyle magazine "Öko-Test" has highlighted the importance of considering the minerals present in our health-and-wellness choices, specifically in food-and-drink options like cooking oils.
2. As part of this exploration, they tested various cooking oils, including less common ones like walnut, peanut, pumpkin seed, hemp, and sesame oils, to assess the presence of mineral oil contaminants.
3. Surprisingly, only 10 out of the 50 tested cooking oils passed the test for minimal mineral oil content, making the discussion about what constitutes a healthy-diet — inclusive of interconnected components like nutrition, cooking, and food choices — even more critical.
4. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and practice sound cooking methods when preparing recipes, it's essential to choose cooking oils that meet high-quality standards for their overall nutritional value and absence of harmful contaminants.

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