Kpangnan butter (Pentadesma): SAP value and fatty acids
Kpangnan butter (Pentadesma) has a saponification value of 182.26 mg KOH/g. One gram needs 0.130 g of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for bar soap or 0.182 g of potassium hydroxide (KOH) for liquid soap to turn fully into soap, before any superfat.
Key numbers
- SAP, NaOH
- 0.12993 g per g oil
- SAP, KOH
- 0.18226 g per g oil
- Saponification value
- 182.26 mg KOH/g
- Iodine value
- 56.7
- INS
- 126
- INCI name
- Pentadesma Butyracea Seed Butter
Example: 100 g of Kpangnan butter (Pentadesma) with no superfat needs 13.0 g of 100% NaOH, or 18.2 g of 100% KOH. A 5% superfat uses 5% less.
In soap
Its main fatty acids in our cited profile are oleic (51.3%) and stearic (43.3%). The eight fatty acids used in soap-quality scores make up 98.2% of the profile.
On its own it scores 46 for hardness, 0 for cleansing and 52 for conditioning, with a saturated : unsaturated split of 46 : 52.
West African butter similar to shea. Lab values vary a lot (166–196) and drop as kernels age. Treat the default as rough and use a COA. Published sources for this oil differ by more than 3%, so checking your supplier's certificate of analysis matters more than usual.
Fatty-acid profile
| Fatty acid | % of fatty acids | Counts toward |
|---|---|---|
| lauric | 0% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| myristic | 0% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| palmitic | 3% | hardness, creamy lather |
| stearic | 43.3% | hardness, creamy lather |
| ricinoleic | 0% | conditioning, bubbly and creamy lather |
| oleic | 51.3% | conditioning |
| linoleic | 0.5% | conditioning |
| linolenic | 0.1% | conditioning |
Basis: Timtey et al. 2024 Int J Food Sci Table 2: mean of 4 Pentadesma butyracea butters made by traditional Ghanaian extraction methods (DES, DEW, FSO, FWO).
Soap-quality scores (this oil alone)
| Hardness | 46 |
|---|---|
| Cleansing | 0 |
| Conditioning | 52 |
| Bubbly lather | 0 |
| Creamy lather | 46 |
| Iodine | 57 |
| INS | 126 |
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: 182.26 mg KOH/g (Median of sources' mgKoh_mid), from Changes in the quality characteristics of the butter of Pentadesma butyracea under various storage conditions (Ayegnon et al., African Journal of Food Science 9(11):514–524, 2015; DOI 10.5897/AJFS2015.1337), Academic Journals (peer-reviewed, open access). Printed value: 188.98 – 196.46 (fresh kernels); falls to 168–175 after 3 months' kernel storage mg KOH/g.
Published values we checked:
- 188.98 – 196.46 (fresh kernels); falls to 168–175 after 3 months' kernel storage mg KOH/g — Academic Journals (peer-reviewed, open access)
- 165.57 – 178.02 mg KOH/g — Hindawi/Wiley (peer-reviewed, open access; PMC11074905)
Fatty acids and iodine: Evaluation of Yield and Physicochemical Quality of Pentadesma butyracea Butter Obtained by Different Traditional Extraction Methods in Ghana (Timtey et al., International Journal of Food Science 2024; DOI 10.1155/2024/5282230), Hindawi/Wiley (peer-reviewed, open access; PMC11074905). Also checked: Academic Journals (peer-reviewed, open access) (Introduction (citing Tchobo et al. 2009); Table 1 / Fig. 8 (IV)); Springer / Korean Society of Food Science and Technology (open access, PMC6859180) (Table 2 (literature-compiled values)).
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 .