Babassu oil
Babassu oil is pressed from the kernels of the babassu palm (Attalea speciosa, formerly Orbignya), which grows wild in northeastern Brazil, where the nuts are gathered and cracked largely by hand. Like coconut and palm kernel oil it is a lauric oil, dominated by lauric and myristic acids, and it is semi-solid at cool room temperature. Brands buy it mainly for cosmetics and soaps, as refined or virgin oil.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Refined, bleached and deodorized oil that is nearly colorless and odorless, the common cosmetic grade.
Pressed and filtered oil with more natural odor and color.
Oil from certified organic wild-harvested kernels.
Babassu-derived esters and surfactants sold separately as cosmetic ingredients.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store sealed in a cool, dry place away from light; the oil is solid or semi-solid below about room temperature and may need gentle warming to pour. Keep water out, since moisture drives hydrolysis and soapy off-odors. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification.
Color, odor and free fatty acids vary with kernel handling, so record them for each lot. Rotate first-expiry, first-out and melt the whole container before sampling if it has partly solidified.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
The Codex standard for named vegetable oils, as printed in FAO's 2001 edition, defines babassu oil as derived from the kernel of the fruit of several varieties of the palm Orbignya spp.
Source: fao.org (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Orbignya oleifera seed oil, with the proper name Attalea speciosa, as a non-medicinal occlusive skin-conditioning agent for topical use.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Distributor · Blue Bell, PA
Pennsylvania distributor of oleochemicals and personal care ingredients, including castor products, fatty alcohols, esters, glycerin and natural oils and butters.
Distributor · Oxford, CT
Connecticut supplier, trading as Praan Naturals, of certified organic and conventional carrier oils, butters, waxes, clays and botanicals for personal care manufacturers.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include refined oil, virgin or cold-pressed oil, organic and derivatives. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect fatty acid profile, free fatty acids, iodine and saponification values, peroxide value and melting point and moisture, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store sealed in a cool, dry place away from light; the oil is solid or semi-solid below about room temperature and may need gentle warming to pour. Keep water out, since moisture drives hydrolysis and soapy off-odors. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification.
The Codex standard for named vegetable oils, as printed in FAO's 2001 edition, defines babassu oil as derived from the kernel of the fruit of several varieties of the palm Orbignya spp. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Orbignya oleifera seed oil, with the proper name Attalea speciosa, as a non-medicinal occlusive skin-conditioning agent for topical use.
Request a free listing for the ingredients you make or distribute. No paid placement.