Baobab oil
Baobab oil is pressed from the seeds of the African baobab tree, Adansonia digitata, which are left over after the fruit pulp is removed. It is a fairly balanced oil with oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids as the main fatty acids. It is sold mainly to the cosmetics trade as cold-pressed or refined oil, often from wild-harvested fruit in southern and western Africa.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Pressed and filtered oil, golden in color, the most common grade.
Refined, deodorized oil with lighter color and odor for cosmetic formulas.
Oil from certified organic, often wild-harvested fruit, sometimes with community-sourcing certifications.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store sealed, cool and away from light. The oil can thicken or cloud when cold. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with peroxide value retested on aged stock.
Wild-harvested supply varies with region and season, so record origin, color and the fatty acid profile for each lot. Rotate first-expiry, first-out.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, from the seed, as a non-medicinal emollient skin-conditioning agent for topical use.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Adansonia digitata (POL-NF-06124) lists the bark, leaves, fruit, seed and root as not novel in food supplements; the entry does not name the oil.
Source: ec.europa.eu (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 · 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 cold-pressed oil, refined oil and organic and fair-trade sourced. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect fatty acid profile, peroxide and anisidine values, free fatty acids, cyclopropenoid fatty acids and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store sealed, cool and away from light. The oil can thicken or cloud when cold. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with peroxide value retested on aged stock.
Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, from the seed, as a non-medicinal emollient skin-conditioning agent for topical use. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Adansonia digitata (POL-NF-06124) lists the bark, leaves, fruit, seed and root as not novel in food supplements; the entry does not name the oil.
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