The popularity of coconut oil has skyrocketed in recent years. It seems as though everyone is starting to realize what traditional South Pacific cultures with virtually no heart disease knew for centuries: coconut oil is one of the healthiest fats on the planet and is a boon to health when plentiful amounts are present in the diet.
Even Dr. Oz recommends coconut oil. When a TV medical doctor is extolling the virtues of coconut oil, you know it has well and truly gone mainstream!
The problem is that good quality virgin coconut oil is not particularly inexpensive. And with more and more budget conscious families demanding coconut oil, the big box wholesalers like Costco have been faced with a dilemma – how best to capitalize on the coconut oil frenzy while keeping the price dirt cheap.
I’ll admit that I’ve been suspicious of the big box wholesaler brands of coconut oil for quite awhile. The price just didn’t jive with the price I knew to be necessary to ensure a quality, pure product.
It seems that evidence is now emerging that my suspicions have been justified.
Mary M. messaged me on my Facebook page just yesterday complaining about the big jar of Costco coconut oil (picture above). She writes:
“I just opened and began using a big container of coconut oil (got it at Costco) that I’ve had for maybe 3 months and it has sat on my pantry shelf (outside in my garage, I live in Texas so it’s gotten hotter than 100 degrees).
It smells like burned marshmallows, or maybe the inside of a pumpkin on Halloween. Since I can’t find any web sites that describe the smell (other than “yucky” and “very, very bad”) for rancid coconut oil, could you please help me out? I can’t stand to put it on my face….but can I still cook with it?”
Absolutely not.
You don’t want to ever use, cook with, or put on your skin an oil that smells bad!
Mary’s email about her jar of Costco coconut oil raised two big red flags to me. First of all, I’ve been using coconut oil and virgin coconut oil for many years and I have never had it go off, even when kept for a year or two in my garage where the temperature easily reaches a 110-120F on humid August afternoons.
Coconut oil is an extremely stable oil and should never have gone bad such as what Mary M. experienced, provided it is pure, 100% coconut oil and it was filtered properly so that none of the coconut protein was left in the oil.
The second red flag about this Costco coconut oil was the wording of the label. There is no such thing as “extra virgin coconut oil”. It is either refined coconut oil or virgin coconut oil. A friend of mine who is the owner of a company that is a quality purveyor of virgin coconut oil had this to say:
“… any product that uses the term ‘extra virgin’ and it does not pertain to olive oil is using the term outside its definition… Trying to market something that does not exist.”
Does this mean use of the misleading term “extra virgin coconut oil” indicates an inferior product? Not necessarily. It is simply a red flag that further investigation to ensure a quality product is required particularly if the product is found on a shelf at Costco or other large retailer for a price that is too good to be true.
Why Inexpensive Costco Coconut Oil is Likely of Poor Quality
There are a couple of potential reasons why Mary M’s Costco coconut oil went bad.
First of all, it might not have been 100% pure coconut oil at all.
Not pure coconut oil? Not so far fetched. This is what the olive oil industry has been doing for years, blending cheaper oils with extra virgin olive oil and marketing it as pure extra virgin olive oil. Since the majority of the oil is indeed “pure” extra virgin, they get away with labeling it as such even though other cheaper usually rancid oils are present. However, what restaurants do is even worse. Most use “olive oil blends” for cooking that are actually 75% canola oil and only 25% olive oil. If you ask them what they use for cooking, most in my experience will simply respond “olive oil” even when this is not really true.
If Mary M’s Costco coconut oil had vegetable oils or cheaper hydrogenated palm oil blended in, even if organic and in small amounts, it would be prone to going off sitting in a hot pantry for a few months causing the entire jar to stink after awhile.
Another possibility is that the oil was improperly filtered and is inferior quality coconut oil subject to rancidity as a result. My friend mentioned earlier who is the owner of a company that sells quality virgin coconut oil had this to say when I asked him about Mary’s coconut oil problem and how it could possibly go rancid:
“The only thing I have seen is during the filtering process. If they run it too fast or do not change the filters, one can get pieces of coconut (protein) in the product. You will not see it other than with time you might see a slight change in color on the bottom of the container. And this product can culture at the bottom of the container and it will have a culture smell.”
Another friend who also owns a company that sells high quality virgin coconut oil had this to add:
“It is possible that it was not 100% Coconut Oil. However, I suspect that it was just very old oil and not fresh. Since there is so much demand for Coconut Oil, fresh lots will be sold for money and may not be available at discount stores.”
Was Mary’s Costco coconut oil cut with a small percentage of cheaper oils to boost manufacturer and/or coconut oil reseller profits, poorly filtered causing the coconut protein bits to “culture” the oil, or just old, manufacturer’s defect oil?
It’s anybody’s guess, but one thing is for sure. It was not fresh, high quality Grade A coconut oil. Good quality, pure coconut oil that has been properly filtered does not go bad in a hot 100F pantry even if in a plastic tub. Cheaply priced coconut oil at a discount store runs the risk of being old, improperly filtered (manufacturer’s defect) and not the best choice for your health.
Is it a high risk? Maybe, maybe not. There’s certainly not enough data to confirm one way or the other at this point. As for me, I’m personally not willing to trust a huge corporation to properly source my healthy fats – the fats that build my children’s brain and support their immune function.
The lesson to be learned from Mary’s experience from my perspective is that you get what you pay for whether it be coconut oil or any other food item. Buying coconut oil at Costco, Walmart or some other big box retailer that bases stocking decisions primarily on low price obtained via buying huge quantities at once is a big risk that what you get is going to be poor quality coconut oil that is either potentially blended with cheap oils or is a Grade B, poorly filtered product. Cheap oil that is subject to rancidity and loaded with free radicals risks your health.
It may look and smell fine when you open the jar, but the real test is does it stay looking and smelling fine in a hot pantry or garage after several months?
You can’t tell just by looking at it or tasting it that is 100% virgin coconut oil that has been properly filtered.
Just like with extra virgin olive oil, the only way to ensure a quality product is to buy from a quality small business, not a big box retailer like Costco that buys large amounts of inventory from manufacturers and dumps it on the consumer market at ultra cheap prices. While you may get a decent product for a cheap price some of the time, I personally am not willing to take the chance with my healthy fats – the most critical aspect of Traditional Diet – that it will be a quality purchase 100% of the time like what would happen if I bought from a small, trusted producer.
Anything can happen and frequently does as a food item makes its way through the Industrial Food Distribution System!
UPDATE: Since this article was published in June 2013, dozens of other consumers have emailed me with stories of rock bottom priced, poor quality coconut oil being purchased not just at Costco, but other Big Box retailers. Buyer beware!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
More Information
Coconut Oil May Not Be Right for You
MCT Oil: The Coconut Oil Dregs
I asked you about this oil sometime last year when I first encountered it, one other note…I always buy Gold Tropical Traditions Oil, and one of the big gallon size plastic jug YES GOLD ONE..had A LOT OF coconut floating at the bottom..this never happened before, I still used it, yet reading this post it seams this is due to poor filtering…so buying “the best and most expensive TROPICAL TRADITIONS” dosnt always yield a quality product, maybe a little better, but after thsi happened to me I am not so sure. I need to buy more real soon, and not sure if I trust the brand I have been so happy with before this happened, especially since it is a fact that the demand is sky high now and even the good companies are skimping on there qujilitly just to keep up with the demand.
Has anyone thought that this might of been a bad batch? It happens. I’ve had “high” quality food products that have been off. A quick call to the company usually results in a replacement and alerts them that a batch may have not been up to their quality standards. Has anyone actually called this company? It seems pretty harsh to slander a company by posting speculation cited by one person.
Carrington Farms is a private company. Do some research.
Where’s the proof did they rest costcos products this is pure media slander I use this product and it smell like fresh coconut oil everytime is it possible this person could of contaminated this product some other way Ive never had an issue I love it
This blog post is an absolute JOKE. One person’s CO allegedly went bad, therefore ALL CO sold at Costco is low quality…Huh? First off she never even contacted Carrington Farms or Costco before making absurd assumptions about the coconut oil. Second, she states that if the CO is cheaper then its low quality, how ridiculous!
Costco has lower prices because of their incredible buying power. For example, Costco sells Carrington Farms CO for about $16-19 for a 54oz tub, the same size is $30 on their website. And as far a labeling, here in Canada all CO is labeled ‘Virgin’ and in the US most CO (including the ones this blogger endorses) are labeled ‘extra virgin’. The product is the same. Carrington Farms has all of the info on the CO on their website, and you can also contact them for additional information, something this blogger didn’t do. In fact, I learned more about this coconut oil from the comments on this blog post then the actual blog post. And ironically, because of this blog post my next tub of CO will be Carrington Farms brand!
After Carrington Farms read this article: “We are able to offer the price to Costco that you see due the economies of scale. They buy upwards to 60 truckloads of coconut oil per month so we are able to ship and manufacture economically. However, our same brand sells for a much higher price in a local health food store since it is much more expensive per jar to ship them a case of 6 then per jar on a truckload. In all our research there seems to be no difference between ‘Virgin’ and ‘Extra Virgin’. Our Canadian label says Virgin as that is the rule for labeling there, in the US we use Extra Virgin on the label. The coconut oil is the same. There are no other oils, or ANYTHING, added to our pure expeller cold pressed coconut oil. We use only raw fresh coconut meat taken from Organic coconuts and press it in the Philippines. “
CARRINGTON FARMS ORGANIC UNREFINED COCONUT OIL
FAQ
1) Are the plastic jars BPA Free?
a. Yes
2) Do you use Hexane?
a. no, our coconut oil is hexane free
3) Is your Coconut Oil unrefined and do you use chemicals?
a. Yes, Carrington Farms coconut oil is unrefined and no chemicals are used in the processing of the coconut oil.
4) Where the coconuts are grown and where it is processed?
a. The coconuts are grown on Organic farms in the Philippines
5) Is it Certified organic and non-GMO coconut oil?
a. Yes, we are certified by Quality Assurance International and all our coconuts are non-GMO
6) Is the coconut oil made from fresh coconuts, not dried copra?
a. Yes, we use young coconuts and not dried copra
7) Is there heat applied in the processing?
a. no, we use a cold expeller press process
8) Is it refined, bleached or deodorized?
a. NO, our coconut oil is Unrefined, Unbleached and Un-deodorized
9) Can I make cookies and cakes with coconut oil instead of butter or oil?
a. Yes, coconut oil is great as a fat replacer for baking, cooking, etc. Use on a 1:1 ratio — for every 1 teaspoon of butter, use 1 teaspoon of coconut oil; for 1 tablespoon of oil use 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, etc.
10) Is your Coconut oil processed in a nut free facility?
a. yes our facility is peanut and tree nut free.
11) Why was the Coconut Oil a liquid or solid at the store and now it is a solid or liquid?
a. Coconut oil changes from liquid to solid at around 74-76 degrees F. The nutritional make up of the coconut oil is not altered at all when it changes from liquid to solid.
12) How do I make my solid coconut oil into liquid?
a. the easiest way to do this if you only want a small amount is to put it in a bowl and put the bowl in a “warm bath”. (put the coconut oil bowl in another bowl that is filled with warm water)
13) How do I make my liquid coconut oil into a solid?
a. Keep the jar in a cool place. If none is available you can put it in the refrigerator.
14) Do you use heat in the extraction process?
a. No, our process is cold and at no time during our processing is there external heat
applied.
15) Do you use any animal testing on your products?
a. No we do not.
16) What is the breakdown of Medium Chain Triglycerides in your coconut oil?
a. Each tablespoon (14 g) coconut oil will provide 6.2 g lauric acid, 1 g caprylic acid and 800
mg capric acid
17) How much Omega 6 and 9’s are in your coconut oil?
a. There is 924 mg of Omega 9’s and 252 mg of Omega 6’s per 1 tablespoon (14 g).
CARRINGTON FARMS ORGANIC UNREFINED COCONUT OIL
FAQ
1) Are the plastic jars BPA Free?
a. Yes
2) Do you use Hexane?
a. no, our coconut oil is hexane free
3) Is your Coconut Oil unrefined and do you use chemicals?
a. Yes, Carrington Farms coconut oil is unrefined and no chemicals are used in the processing of the coconut oil.
4) Where the coconuts are grown and where it is processed?
a. The coconuts are grown on Organic farms in the Philippines
5) Is it Certified organic and non-GMO coconut oil?
a. Yes, we are certified by Quality Assurance International and all our coconuts are non-GMO
6) Is the coconut oil made from fresh coconuts, not dried copra?
a. Yes, we use young coconuts and not dried copra
7) Is there heat applied in the processing?
a. no, we use a cold expeller press process
8) Is it refined, bleached or deodorized?
a. NO, our coconut oil is Unrefined, Unbleached and Un-deodorized
9) Can I make cookies and cakes with coconut oil instead of butter or oil?
a. Yes, coconut oil is great as a fat replacer for baking, cooking, etc. Use on a 1:1 ratio — for every 1 teaspoon of butter, use 1 teaspoon of coconut oil; for 1 tablespoon of oil use 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, etc.
10) Is your Coconut oil processed in a nut free facility?
a. yes our facility is peanut and tree nut free.
11) Why was the Coconut Oil a liquid or solid at the store and now it is a solid or liquid?
a. Coconut oil changes from liquid to solid at around 74-76 degrees F. The nutritional make up of the coconut oil is not altered at all when it changes from liquid to solid.
12) How do I make my solid coconut oil into liquid?
a. the easiest way to do this if you only want a small amount is to put it in a bowl and put the bowl in a “warm bath”. (put the coconut oil bowl in another bowl that is filled with warm water)
13) How do I make my liquid coconut oil into a solid?
a. Keep the jar in a cool place. If none is available you can put it in the refrigerator.
14) Do you use heat in the extraction process?
a. No, our process is cold and at no time during our processing is there external heat
applied.
15) Do you use any animal testing on your products?
a. No we do not.
16) What is the breakdown of Medium Chain Triglycerides in your coconut oil?
a. Each tablespoon (14 g) coconut oil will provide 6.2 g lauric acid, 1 g caprylic acid and 800
mg capric acid
17) How much Omega 6 and 9’s are in your coconut oil?
a. There is 924 mg of Omega 9’s and 252 mg of Omega 6’s per 1 tablespoon (14 g).
Thanks for replying Elizabeth 🙂
Great comment Jodie, I get so sick of people grouping Costco in with Walmart type stores. Without Costco there are a lot of Organic products I just would not be able to buy