Rancid Coconut Oil?

[Silver & Gold]

I recently purchased 2 jars of Laxmi Brand coconut oil at 2 different stores (one right up the street from the other) and in 2 different sizes. The first was a 2 lb jar and the second was a 1 lb jar.
I've purchased coconut oil in the past since I use it in my cooking quite often and all the coconut oil I've used previously had a nice, mild coconut smell.
However, both of these jars had a strong, nasty - hard to describe but kind of like a bitter, musty brazil nut that has gone bad - kind of smell.
I'm really unhappy because I'm quite certain both of these jars have gone rancid. I threw the first jar away about a month ago but I still have the second jar because I just purchased it last week. I have to travel quite some way to even find a store to buy the oil so returning it is not really an option for me.
Anyway, my question is . . . has anyone else experienced this with Laxmi or any other brand of coconut oil? Am I right in supposing that the oil is rancid?

[quidscribis]

My sister had rancid coconut oil when she was living in the Maldives. It was her first experience with coconut oil, so she swore off the stuff. Then she visited me and smelled my coconut oil and realized that hers was rancid.

So, yeah. You think it smells rancid, it most likely is.

[lora410]

I have the extra virgin cocnut oil which is quite strong nutty/coconut smell, but if it stinks to you then it is probably rancid.

[Silver & Gold]

Thanks for the answers. As I've said, I've used coconut oil for a couple of years now and have never had any that smelled like this.

Since the two stores I purchased the oil from were right up the street from one another I'm beginning to suspect that both stores got rancid coconut oil from the same supplier. Perhaps the supplier gave them something that had been stored for too long.

I was simply stunned when I got the second jar home and had the same awful smell . . . not pleasant at all and very strong. If this were my first experience with coconut oil, I would swear off the stuff too!

[lora410]

Thanks for the answers. As I've said, I've used coconut oil for a couple of years now and have never had any that smelled like this.

Since the two stores I purchased the oil from were right up the street from one another I'm beginning to suspect that both stores got rancid coconut oil from the same supplier. Perhaps the supplier gave them something that had been stored for too long.

I was simply stunned when I got the second jar home and had the same awful smell . . . not pleasant at all and very strong. If this were my first experience with coconut oil, I would swear off the stuff too!

Sorry to hear it's a bit of drive. Think of it this way it gets you out and about :D

[Beesweet]

I bought rancid coconut oil from an Indian grocery that, upon closer inspection, sold a lot of stuff that was WAY past expiration date, even their herbs.
Anyway, I didn't know it was rancid...I thought it was just "foreign" and should smell like that.
I put it in my daughter's hair and sent her off to school.
All day long kids kept saying, "Hmm...what's that? I smell...FRIED CHICKEN."
My poor kid knew it was her, but she didn't want to call attention to it -- 6th grade is a tough time -- so she kept saying, "Mmm...huh! I smell it too? Strange, isn't it?"
She texted me from school. I told her to just "lay low." Poor thing.
We washed as soon as she got home.

[Silver & Gold]

I bought rancid coconut oil from an Indian grocery that, upon closer inspection, sold a lot of stuff that was WAY past expiration date, even their herbs.
Anyway, I didn't know it was rancid...I thought it was just "foreign" and should smell like that.
I put it in my daughter's hair and sent her off to school.
All day long kids kept saying, "Hmm...what's that? I smell...FRIED CHICKEN."
My poor kid knew it was her, but she didn't want to call attention to it -- 6th grade is a tough time -- so she kept saying, "Mmm...huh! I smell it too? Strange, isn't it?"
She texted me from school. I told her to just "lay low." Poor thing.
We washed as soon as she got home.

The poor kid. At the end of the day, I wonder who felt worse - you or her?

[Bellydancer<3]

I just bought the same brand of Coconut Oil from the Indian Grocer down street from me too!

I opened it up today and thought it smelt funny but I have never smelled uncooked coconut oil before so I thought I might just be ignorant. So I ignored the lil voice in my head and mixed it with some sesame oil, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Now its on my head. lol

I started to think about how I have read many people on here saying how much they like the smell of coconut oil and they remembered seeing this thread in the forum. So here I am with a stinky head. ~Barf. I hope the BS/ACV helps remove the smell!

Funny. Maybe its just the brand. I am gonna go to a regular grocery store later to sniff around. If there is a drastic difference I am gonna take it back to the Indian Store. The owner seemed pretty nice and I am sure he will take it back, especially if I find and bring one that smells better.

[Mahars]

Eww yucky. I'm sorry that happened to you, not once but twice! I've only tried one brand of coconut oil before (Nutiva), and it smells very sweet and coconutty. Not at all rotten. I get it on Amazon or a natural foods coop near my house. Good stuff if you're looking for a new bottle!

[Silver & Gold]

Well, here is something interesting to note. After getting 2 jars of coconut oil with this awful smell I wrote to the company to see what they had to say. Here is their reply:

We did received your feedback about our coconut oil having a "very strong, bad odor".

I do agree that our product does have a strong odor which is a characteristic of coconut oil made from very pure and fresh coconut. This strong odor is actually a measurement of how fresh and authentic our coconut oil is.

We use the best of the best ingredients in preparing our products in our facilities. I would have arranged to send you some complimentary products if our product was not up to the quality promised.

Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any other questions or concerns.

So, although I find the smell objectionable, apparently the oil isn't rancid after all. Now that I know this, I simply won't purchase this brand again because I know that I'm going to find the same problem with all their coconut oil. Now if I can just find the kind of oil I used to purchase, it was good stuff. The only reason I purchased this brand in the first place was because they were no longer carrying the brand I had purchased before.

[ChloeDharma]

What brand did you get before? I've not actually heard of the one you got that smells odd.

i did buy parachute brand not very long ago because it's much cheaper than the virgin coconut oil i can get from the health food shops but i'd been reading that it's one of the most trusted brands in India only made from good quality Kerala coconuts etc. When i opened it the coconut smell definately hit me.....but i started to notice a bit of a difference to the one i was used to.....a slight smokey kind of smell.....no enough to make me dislike it though but enough to make me wonder.....so i got a friend to see if he could tell a difference from my usual tub and he could too.
When i looked into it more i finally found out that it's because Parachute use Copra to make the oil.....could this be the same situation for you?

[Silver & Gold]

What brand did you get before? I've not actually heard of the one you got that smells odd.

i did buy parachute brand not very long ago because it's much cheaper than the virgin coconut oil i can get from the health food shops but i'd been reading that it's one of the most trusted brands in India only made from good quality Kerala coconuts etc. When i opened it the coconut smell definately hit me.....but i started to notice a bit of a difference to the one i was used to.....a slight smokey kind of smell.....no enough to make me dislike it though but enough to make me wonder.....so i got a friend to see if he could tell a difference from my usual tub and he could too.
When i looked into it more i finally found out that it's because Parachute use Copra to make the oil.....could this be the same situation for you?

I honestly don't remember the name of the coconut oil I purchased before. I only remember it was probably 8 ounces as the jar it came in resembled a tumbler glass in size and shape. I also think I remember that the label was yellow with a picture of a coconut on it but I'm not certain about that.

Perhaps the reason you don't know the brand is because I was purchasing the coconut oil in the food section of the store. The Parachute brand is sold with the toiletries. I actually had a bottle of Parachute in my hand the day I purchased this jar but since I wanted to use it for cooking as well, I wasn't certain if this item was intended for consumption - even though it said so on the bottle.

I have no idea about Copra or what it is. My answer from the company said that the item was very fresh and pure. I can't even smell a coconut smell underneath this other smell which is both sharp and musty to me.

So I'm stuck with some nasty smelling, awful tasting stuff. Any ideas on how to disguise the odor or make it palatable? I tried adding lavender EO and let me tell you . . . there ain't enough lavender on the planet to make me put this in my hair except, perhaps as an overnight. But I don't know how well I would sleep and I would be a little scared that the scent might linger even after shampooing.

I hate to throw out another jar if it can be used. Any ideas anyone?

[ChloeDharma]

Ah, i usually look in both sections because i don't "shop" in Indian grocers....i "hunt"! lol Plus i go to the toiletries for my vatika oil and the herbs....but yes, i noticed that many shops put the parachute brand there....others include it with the cooking oils.
The 2 brands i notice most in the cooking oils section is "Pride" and "KTC" but both of those are refined and odourless.

Hmmnnn if it smells that bad then i really can't think of a use for it....unless....i dunno, could it be used on wood or leather maybe? I definately wouldn't eat it or even use it on my skin or hair as then you have that smell lingering on you.

I would recommend the Parachute brand if you are looking for something other than the more expensive virgin coconut oil in health food shops, i cook with it and must say the beautiful smell i get as it heats up is just lovely.

[Silver & Gold]

Thanks for the information, CloeDharma. I guess I'll just chalk this one up to lessons learned.

[SHELIAANN1969]

I had some coconut oil in a small container that was in the bathroom on a shelf above a small gas stove, I opened it up, put some on my face and the smell blew me away, it didnt smell like that before, it just got nasty and "rancid"

I kept saying, darnit, I smell popcorn, ick, come to find out, thats what popcorn oil is, coconut oil with beta-kerotine in it fo r the orangey/ yellowy color!!

YUK, it was gross and my nose will never forget it, I was so mad, I had to rewash my face and I kept smelling it, nastyyyyyyyyyy!!