The complaint says independent laboratory testing found the oil in the Boulder Canyon chips inconsistent with authentic avocado oil, pointing to cheaper oils allegedly substituted or blended in. It uses a 2026 UC Davis authenticity study as scientific backing for claims that avocado-oil adulteration is widespread.
A class action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Utz Brands over Boulder Canyon potato chips labeled as containing avocado oil, according to Access Newswire. The Louisiana plaintiff says he paid nearly $19 for several bags marketed as cooked in premium avocado oil and claims buyers paid a premium for that claim, according to the same Access Newswire report.
Official resources:
- Read the official guidance from Ucdavis — Use this primary source to verify the official guidance.
- Read the official notice from Foodprocessing — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- What testing does the Utz complaint cite?
- How did UC Davis test for avocado-oil purity?
- What did the broader study find?
- What should buyers understand before taking action?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What testing does the Utz complaint cite?
The core allegation is product-specific testing. The complaint alleges the chips were tested by an independent laboratory and the oil chemistry did not match authentic avocado oil. Adulteration here means the package names avocado oil but the oil inside allegedly includes cheaper oils.
The filing does not rest onhos packaging review alone. It frames the lab result as the reason buyers did not get the premium ingredient they paid for. That test result, if accepted by the court, would support claims for class damages by purchasers.
How did UC Davis test for avocado-oil purity?
Researchers extracted oil from finished foods such as chips, mayonnaise and dressing, then compared fatty-acid and sterol fingerprints to Codex Alimentarius reference ranges for authentic avocado oil, according to ConsumerAffairs reporting. Fatty acids and sterols are natural chemical markers that differ by plant oil. A mismatch signals that another oil is present.
The reference standard is recent. Codex added avocado oil to the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils on Nov. 25, 2024, creating the science-based purity criteria the study used, according to the FAO announcement. That standard gave researchers a fixed benchmark for pure avocado oil.
What did the broader study find?
UC Davis researchers tested 54 processed foods labeled as containing avocado oil and found 48 adulterated with cheaper oils, or about 89%, according to the university report. The complaint cites that 2026 study as support for alleging that adulteration is common in processed foods.
Failures were concentrated in chips, dressings and mayonnaise. By category, 26 of 28 avocado-oil chip samples failed, all 12 dressings failed, and 10 of 14 mayonnaises failed, while only 1 of 20 olive-oil products failed. The contrast matters because it suggests the issue is tied to avocado-oil labeling, not food testing in general.
What should buyers understand before taking action?
The lawsuit is an allegation, not a finding that any specific bag was mislabeled. The UC Davis work tested the category generally, so the Utz case turns on its own product-specific lab tests rather than the study alone.
Purchasers are seeking class damages, which means the court must still decide whether the claims and testing hold up. If you bought Boulder Canyon chips marketed as made with avocado oil and want to preserve options:.
- Keep receipts, order confirmations, or credit-card statements
- Note product name, size, store, purchase date, and price
- Save the bag or clear photos of the front label and ingredient panel
- Watch for a certified settlement or claim-filing notice before submitting personal information
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the UC Davis study prove my bag was mislabeled?
No. It found high adulteration rates across tested products, but the lawsuit still needs its own product tests to link the claim to Boulder Canyon chips.
Is there a claim form or payout now?
The available filings describe a lawsuit seeking class damages, not an approved settlement with eligibility rules or deadlines.