Expert profile
Dr. Selina Wang
Research professor of food science at UC Davis, specialising in edible and olive oil chemistry, oxidation and authenticity.
Edible oil chemistry • olive oil quality • oxidation • food authenticity
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About the expert
Focus: Edible oil chemistry and food authenticity
Selina Wang is a research professor at the University of California, Davis, where she studies edible oils, especially olive oil chemistry, oxidation and authenticity. Her research group exposed widespread adulteration and rancidity in supermarket avocado oils. She helped draft California's mandatory olive oil quality standard in 2014.
Expert discussions with Dr. Selina Wang
Are seed oils actually bad for you?
Seed oils are one of the most argued-about foods online, with popular voices calling them toxic. A food scientist who studies edible oils explains that most human studies link these oils to neutral or better heart health, not worse. For most people, the stronger concern may be the ultra-processed and deep-fried foods these oils often come in, rather than seed oils as a category. Her lab has also found substantial quality and authenticity problems in commercial avocado oils, showing that what is actually in the bottle, and how well it has been stored, can matter too.