Olive Oil Trade Group Sues Dr. Oz For Claiming Most Grocery Store Olive Oil Is 'Fake'

The North American Olive Oil Association filed a lawsuit against talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz after he claimed that many of the extra-virgin olive oil products available at supermarkets in the U.S. could be "fake."

The episode of The Doctor Oz Show, in which Oz made the claim that "80 percent of the extra-virgin olive oil that you buy every day in your supermarket isn't the real deal, it may even be fake," aired on May 12, 2016, according to Yahoo.

To test his theory, Oz had "certified olive oil expert" Maia Hirschbein, who is employed by the California Olive Ranch, as a guest on the show to perform a blind taste and smell test for five Italian extra-virgin olive oils in the U.S. She said only one of the five was authentic, Fox reported.

The court documents, filed Nov. 29, state Oz "made a series of false statements regarding the quality and purity of olive oil sold in supermarkets in the United States."

The association said in its filings that the group tests olive oil products and 95 percent of the samples "meet or exceed [International Olive Council] quality and purity standards." The group claimed Oz's statements harmed the business and is seeking compensation for damages through the lawsuit.

The Doctor Oz Show told Good Morning America in a statement that it would defend the story and refute the allegations, Yahoo reported.