Cupuacu butter
Cupuacu butter is the fat from the seeds of the cupuacu fruit, Theobroma grandiflorum, a relative of cacao from the Amazon basin, mainly Brazil. The seeds are a by-product of fruit pulp processing; they are fermented or dried, pressed, and the fat is usually filtered or refined. It is a soft, pale butter that melts near skin temperature. Brands buy it mainly for cosmetics such as body butters, lip balms and hair products.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Refined, deodorized butter with a pale color and little odor.
Pressed and filtered butter with a light cocoa-like odor.
Butter from certified organic or wild-harvested seed.
Cupuacu butter blended with liquid oils or other butters for a set texture.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store sealed in a cool, dry place away from light and heat, and avoid repeated melting, which can make it grainy. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with free fatty acids and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
Record grade, origin and harvest for each lot. Odor and color vary in unrefined butter, so approve new lots against a retained sample.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
The EU Novel Food status Catalogue (entry POL-NF-00743) lists the fruit and pulp of Theobroma grandiflorum as not novel in food, and its seeds/kernels as a novel food not yet authorized.
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 · 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, unrefined, organic and blends. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect fatty acid profile, free fatty acids and peroxide value, melting point, color and odor and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store sealed in a cool, dry place away from light and heat, and avoid repeated melting, which can make it grainy. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with free fatty acids and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
The EU Novel Food status Catalogue (entry POL-NF-00743) lists the fruit and pulp of Theobroma grandiflorum as not novel in food, and its seeds/kernels as a novel food not yet authorized.
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