Olive oil: SAP value and fatty acids
Olive oil has a saponification value of 190 mg KOH/g. One gram needs 0.135 g of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for bar soap or 0.190 g of potassium hydroxide (KOH) for liquid soap to turn fully into soap, before any superfat.
Key numbers
- SAP, NaOH
- 0.135448 g per g oil
- SAP, KOH
- 0.19 g per g oil
- Saponification value
- 190 mg KOH/g
- Iodine value
- 84.5
- INS
- 106
- INCI name
- Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Example: 100 g of Olive oil with no superfat needs 13.5 g of 100% NaOH, or 19.0 g of 100% KOH. A 5% superfat uses 5% less.
In soap
Its main fatty acids in our cited profile are oleic (68.9%) and palmitic (13.3%). The eight fatty acids used in soap-quality scores make up 97% of the profile.
On its own it scores 16 for hardness, 0 for cleansing and 81 for conditioning, with a saturated : unsaturated split of 16 : 81.
Virgin and refined olive oils. Olive pomace oil is a separate ingredient.
Fatty-acid profile
| Fatty acid | % of fatty acids | Counts toward |
|---|---|---|
| lauric | 0% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| myristic | 0% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| palmitic | 13.3% | hardness, creamy lather |
| stearic | 2.7% | hardness, creamy lather |
| ricinoleic | 0% | conditioning, bubbly and creamy lather |
| oleic | 68.9% | conditioning |
| linoleic | 11.6% | conditioning |
| linolenic | 0.5% | conditioning |
Basis: International Olive Council trade standard Rev. 22 (2026) section 3.1 range midpoints for virgin, refined and olive oil grades ("<x" or "≤x" = x/2), normalized to 100% (raw midpoints sum to 101.7%). The IOC ranges match Codex CXS 33, which sets no linolenic limit..
Soap-quality scores (this oil alone)
| Hardness | 16 |
|---|---|
| Cleansing | 0 |
| Conditioning | 81 |
| Bubbly lather | 0 |
| Creamy lather | 16 |
| Iodine | 85 |
| INS | 106 |
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: 190 mg KOH/g (Codex CXS 33 range midpoint (virgin/refined olive oil)), from Codex Alimentarius CXS 33-1981, Standard for Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils, FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission. Printed value: 184–196 mg KOH/g.
Published values we checked:
- 184–196 mg KOH/g — FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission
- 186–194 mg KOH/g — Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)
- 184–196 mg KOH/g — From Nature With Love (soap/cosmetic supplier)
- 190 mg KOH/g — The Soapery (UK soap supplier)
- NaOH 0.1353 / KOH 0.1906 g alkali per g oil — Certified Lye
Fatty acids and iodine: Trade Standard Applying to Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils, COI/T.15/NC No 3/Rev. 22 (June 2026), section 3.1 fatty acid composition, International Olive Council. Also checked: FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Section 3 fatty acid composition (same ranges as IOC except no linolenic limit) and Appendix iodine value); U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (Individual fatty acids (g/100 g food); read from the SR Legacy April 2018 CSV release).
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.
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