Marula oil
Marula oil is pressed from the kernels inside the stones of the marula fruit, Sclerocarya birrea, a tree of southern Africa. The fruit is collected from wild trees, the stones are cracked to free the small kernels, often by community harvesters, and the kernels are cold-pressed. The oil is high in oleic acid and fairly stable. It is sold as virgin or refined oil, mainly for cosmetics.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Unrefined, filtered oil with a pale yellow color and light nutty odor.
Refined oil with reduced color and odor for products where those matter.
Oil with organic or wild-collection certification tied to the harvest area.
Oil supplied with fair-trade or community sourcing documentation.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store sealed in a cool, dark place and limit air exposure after opening. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with acid value and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
Record grade, harvest season and country of origin for each lot. Supply follows a single annual harvest, so plan volumes and keep lot records for traceability documentation.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database added Sclerocarya birrea seed oil with a non-medicinal role in its May 27, 2011 update.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Sclerocarya birrea (POL-NF-00688) only concerns the fruits; it does not cover marula 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 virgin cold-pressed, refined, organic or wild-harvest certified and fair-trade or community-sourced. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect fatty acid profile, acid value and peroxide value, color and odor, moisture and impurities and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store sealed in a cool, dark place and limit air exposure after opening. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with acid value and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database added Sclerocarya birrea seed oil with a non-medicinal role in its May 27, 2011 update. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Sclerocarya birrea (POL-NF-00688) only concerns the fruits; it does not cover marula oil.
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