Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Oils - what do the specifications mean to me?

  • Oils - what do the specifications mean to me?

    Posted by RawMaterialGirl on August 25, 2014 at 10:09 pm

    Whenever I get specification sheets for oils, I see acid value, saponification value, iodine value and (sometimes) Free Fatty Acid Content. I know technically what these measurements are, but what do they mean to me as a cosmetic chemist? Can anyone elaborate on FFA value?

    Thanks!
    bill_toge replied 9 years, 7 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • oldperry

    Member
    August 26, 2014 at 12:25 pm

    It doesn’t answer all your questions but here is some information you might find helpful about certificate of analysis tests.

    Free Fatty Acid content is the amount of fatty acids in the formula that have been liberated from the natural occurring triglyceride molecule.  See this for more information.  http://www.hrpub.org/download/201310/cme.2013.010306.pdf
  • RawMaterialGirl

    Member
    August 27, 2014 at 1:19 pm

    Thank you, Perry, for taking me way back in time! I’d read this post before - but forgot about it when thinking about my current situation. I will be sure to refer to this in the future.

  • bill_toge

    Member
    August 30, 2014 at 5:22 pm

    the free fatty acid content is indicative of how fresh the oil is; if it’s above the upper limit of the supplier’s spec, it’s been significantly degraded

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