Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter is the fat pressed from cocoa liquor, the ground nibs of cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao). It is filtered and sold either natural, with a chocolate aroma, or deodorized by steam to a neutral flavor. It is a hard, brittle fat that melts sharply just below 35 C, which makes it the base of chocolate. Brands buy it for chocolate and confectionery, cosmetics such as balms and lotions, and some pharmaceutical products.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Pressed and filtered fat with cocoa aroma, used in chocolate and in cosmetics where the scent is wanted.
Steam-deodorized fat with neutral flavor and odor, used in white chocolate and unscented products.
Cocoa butter pressed from unroasted or low-temperature processed beans.
Cocoa butter with organic certification and, often, fair-trade or traceability documentation.
Pre-formed pieces that are easier to weigh and melt than blocks.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store cocoa butter in a cool, dry, odor-free area away from light; it picks up odors easily. Avoid temperature swings that partly melt and reset it. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with free fatty acids and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
Record origin, deodorized or natural grade and certifications for each lot. Hardness and melting behavior vary with bean origin, so chocolate makers often track solid fat content by lot.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 347.10 lists cocoa butter, at 50 to 100 percent, as an active ingredient for OTC skin protectant drug products.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Theobroma oil (common names cacao butter and cocoa butter) from the seed of Theobroma cacao, with a medicinal role under its Medicated Skin Care Products Monograph.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 163.123 lists cacao fat among the optional ingredients of sweet chocolate.
Source: ecfr.gov (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.
Manufacturer · Watertown, CT
Connecticut wax company that refines and supplies beeswax, plant waxes, petroleum waxes, emulsifying waxes and esters for cosmetic, pharmaceutical and industrial uses.
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.
Distributor · Des Plaines, IL
Illinois supplier of bulk oils, butters, waxes and soap-making bases, owned by Columbus Vegetable Oils, selling to soap makers and small personal care brands.
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 natural (non-deodorized), deodorized, raw or unroasted, organic and fair-trade and wafers and pellets. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect free fatty acids, melting behavior, triglyceride and fatty acid profile, iodine value and unsaponifiable matter and peroxide value and moisture, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store cocoa butter in a cool, dry, odor-free area away from light; it picks up odors easily. Avoid temperature swings that partly melt and reset it. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with free fatty acids and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
21 CFR 347.10 lists cocoa butter, at 50 to 100 percent, as an active ingredient for OTC skin protectant drug products. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Theobroma oil (common names cacao butter and cocoa butter) from the seed of Theobroma cacao, with a medicinal role under its Medicated Skin Care Products Monograph. 21 CFR 163.123 lists cacao fat among the optional ingredients of sweet chocolate.
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