Close window

Newsletter subscription
Complete the form to receive the newsletter from Expanscience-ingredients.com

*mandatory fields

The data collected will be processed for the purpose of sending out our e-newsletter or in order to contact you. Laboratoires Expanscience's Cosmetic Active Ingredients Service is the recipient of this data. In accordance with the French law dated 6 January 1978 concerning data processing, data files and individual liberties, users have the right to access and rectify all personal data. If you wish to exercise this right and obtain any information concerning you, please contact us.

Close window

Forward page

*mandatory fields

Science & conscience, naturally

Products

Para Nut oil

PARA NUT OIL INCI NAME: Bertholletia Excelsa Nut 0il

Bertholletia excelsa oil is prepared from nuts using presses. The oil from the first pressing is successively decanted, filtered and then stored under nitrogen. The oil is finally lightly refined in order to remove its free acidity, which can sometimes reach very high levels in the crude oil, together with the by-products of oxidation (especially peroxides).

For centuries, it has been commonly used as a food in the Amazonian regions, either as it is, especially in Peru, or grated and mixed with other products (Manioc four, etc.), in Brazil and elsewhere. The oil as such is used by the local populations
and the "country dwellers" for cooking.

The oil is traditionally used in Peru and in other countries of South America to make soap. Nowadays, the oil is used increasingly in cosmetics. It is added to shampoos and "treatment" conditioners, as it is said to make the hair shiny, silky, easy to comb or brush, and soft. It also apparently stabilizes the properties of surfactants and helps to clean the hair. Finally, it is used in moisturizing skin-care products and creams to keep the skin soft and smooth.

This is one of the highest trees in the Amazonian forest; it can reach a height of 30 metres or more. It grows best in the regions of the forest with a thick, well-drained topsoil that is thus not marshy. The green, alternate leaves are full, oblong and fairly tough. The spherical to elliptic fruit is very large. It measures 10 to 12 cm in diameter and weighs between 0.5 and 2.5 kg. When ripe, it looks like a sea-urchin shell. It is ligneous in its outer part, and fleshy on the inside. The fruit usually contains 12 to 20 seeds, or "nuts", closely packed together. On average, the trees produce 100 to 300 fruits per year.

CHARACTERS ------------------------------------------ A pale yellow oil with a bitter taste
ACID VALUE --------------------------------------------- s 5.0 mg KOH/g
PEROXIDE VALUE ------------------------------------- s 10.0 meq 02/kg
RELATIVE CONTENT OF B SITOSTEROL ------ > 50.0 0/0

THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE UNSAPONIFIABLE FRACTION ARE SQUALENE (200 TO 300 MG/100G) AND PHYTOSTEROLS (ABOUT 200 MG/100G): β SITOSTEROL (> 50%) AND STIGMASTEROL (< 10 %).
FATfY ACIDS CONTENT (%)
MYRISTIC ACID: ------------ < 0.2
PALMITIC ACID: ------------ 12.0-16.0
PALMITOLEIC ACID: ------ < 0.5
STEARIC ACID: ------------ 9.0-13.0
OLEIC ACID: ---------------- 31.0-41.0
LINOLEIC ACID: ----------- 32.0-43.0
LINOLENIC ACID: --------- < 0.2

STORAGE: under nitrogen, protected from light and heat.