Emu oil: SAP value and fatty acids
Emu oil has a saponification value of 194.1 mg KOH/g. One gram needs 0.138 g of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for bar soap or 0.194 g of potassium hydroxide (KOH) for liquid soap to turn fully into soap, before any superfat.
Key numbers
- SAP, NaOH
- 0.138371 g per g oil
- SAP, KOH
- 0.1941 g per g oil
- Saponification value
- 194.1 mg KOH/g
- Iodine value
- 60
- INS
- 134
- INCI name
- Dromiceius Oil
Example: 100 g of Emu oil with no superfat needs 13.8 g of 100% NaOH, or 19.4 g of 100% KOH. A 5% superfat uses 5% less.
In soap
Its main fatty acids in our cited profile are oleic (45.8%) and palmitic (25.7%). The eight fatty acids used in soap-quality scores make up 95% of the profile.
On its own it scores 35 for hardness, 0 for cleansing and 60 for conditioning, with a saturated : unsaturated split of 35 : 60.
The American Emu Association trade rule (Rule 103) sets fatty-acid and unsaponifiable limits but no SAP value.
Fatty-acid profile
| Fatty acid | % of fatty acids | Counts toward |
|---|---|---|
| lauric | 0% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| myristic | 0% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| palmitic | 25.7% | hardness, creamy lather |
| stearic | 9.1% | hardness, creamy lather |
| ricinoleic | 0% | conditioning, bubbly and creamy lather |
| oleic | 45.8% | conditioning |
| linoleic | 14% | conditioning |
| linolenic | 0.4% | conditioning |
Basis: Peer-reviewed GC of emu oil (Nutrients 2022, Table 2).
Soap-quality scores (this oil alone)
| Hardness | 35 |
|---|---|
| Cleansing | 0 |
| Conditioning | 60 |
| Bubbly lather | 0 |
| Creamy lather | 35 |
| Iodine | 60 |
| INS | 134 |
Each score adds up certain fatty acids, the way Soap Ledger scores a whole recipe. They are for comparing recipes; they don't predict how a bar will feel, and they say nothing about safety or skin.
Sources
SAP value: 194.1 mg KOH/g (Median of sources), from Emu Oil typical product specifications, Parchem (chemical distributor). Printed value: Saponification Value 190 – 200 mg KOH/g.
Published values we checked:
- Saponification Value 190 – 200 mg KOH/g — Parchem (chemical distributor)
- NaOH 0.1377 / KOH 0.1939 g alkali per g oil — Certified Lye
Fatty acids and iodine: Chemical Characterization and In Vivo Toxicological Safety Evaluation of Emu Oil. Nutrients 14(11):2238 (2022), MDPI. Also checked: Elsevier (Table 3); Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan) (PDF p. 665).
NaOH and KOH values are converted from mg KOH/g with the molar masses 39.997 and 56.106 and rounded to 6 decimals, exactly as in the Soap Ledger app. Real oils vary by origin, grade and lot: check your supplier's certificate of analysis. Verify every weight before you make this, and follow lye safety. Not a safety or compliance certification.
Last updated .