Sacha inchi oil: SAP value and fatty acids
Sacha inchi oil has a saponification value of 194 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
- 0.138299 g per g oil
- SAP, KOH
- 0.194 g per g oil
- Saponification value
- 194 mg KOH/g
- Iodine value
- 193.1
- INS
- 1
- INCI name
- Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Example: 100 g of Sacha inchi 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 linolenic (50.7%) and linoleic (33.4%). The eight fatty acids used in soap-quality scores make up 100% of the profile.
On its own it scores 7 for hardness, 0 for cleansing and 93 for conditioning, with a saturated : unsaturated split of 7 : 93.
About half alpha-linolenic acid; oxidises easily. Use at low levels. 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 | 4.4% | hardness, creamy lather |
| stearic | 2.4% | hardness, creamy lather |
| ricinoleic | 0% | conditioning, bubbly and creamy lather |
| oleic | 9.1% | conditioning |
| linoleic | 33.4% | conditioning |
| linolenic | 50.7% | conditioning |
Basis: Gutiérrez et al. 2011 Table 2, crude oil (hexane extract, Colombian seeds); scaled to 100% from 100.1%.
Soap-quality scores (this oil alone)
| Hardness | 7 |
|---|---|
| Cleansing | 0 |
| Conditioning | 93 |
| Bubbly lather | 0 |
| Creamy lather | 7 |
| Iodine | 193 |
| INS | 1 |
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 mg KOH/g (Median of sources' mgKoh_mid (no Codex/pharmacopoeia standard found)), from Gutiérrez L.-F., Rosada L.-M., Jiménez Á. (2011) Chemical composition of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) seeds and characteristics of their lipid fraction. Grasas y Aceites 62(1):76-83. doi:10.3989/gya044510, CSIC (peer-reviewed, open access). Printed value: 185.2 ± 0.5 mg KOH/g.
Published values we checked:
- 180 - 210 mg KOH/g — From Nature With Love (soap/cosmetic supplier)
- 192-196 mg KOH/g — Skinchakra (German cosmetic oil supplier)
- 185.2 ± 0.5 mg KOH/g — CSIC (peer-reviewed, open access)
Fatty acids and iodine: Gutiérrez L.-F., Rosada L.-M., Jiménez Á. (2011) Chemical composition of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) seeds and characteristics of their lipid fraction. Grasas y Aceites 62(1):76–83. doi:10.3989/gya044510, CSIC (open access, peer-reviewed). Also checked: Skinchakra (German cosmetic oil supplier).
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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