Kokum Fat

Food Additives
Food Additives

Kokum Fat – Garcinia indica Fat

Kokum nuts (Garnicia Indica) a plant in the Mangosteen Family (Clusiaceae), are the primary source of Kokum fat in India. Kokum nuts have a fat content of about 32% to 35%. Kokum trees are found in huge numbers in western India. The tree has been a source of culinary and pharmaceutical use to locals for centuries.

The property of Kokum fat to stay hard at room temperature is responsible for its importance in manufacturing chocolates as it increases the hardness of chocolates. Owing to its fatty acid composition, Kokum fat is a product of choice in manufacturing soaps, cosmetics, candles and

ointments. Kokum fat has an acid composition of C16 (3.4%), C18 (67.4%), C18:1 (28.1%), C18:2 (0.6%) and C20 (0.3%). It has very high symmetrical SOS content (83.4%). A mixture of Madhuca fat with Kokum fat is an industry standard as a Cocoa Butter Equivalent (CBE). A mixture of Kokum fat with palm oil is also used as a CBE.

Kokum Butter has been used traditionally to soften skin and restore elasticity and as a balm for dry, craced, rough and calloused skin.

It is rich in essential fatty acids, and antioxidant vitamin E

It helps prevent dry skin and wrinkles and helps regenerate tired and worn skin cells. It supports skin elasticity and general flexibility of the skin.

It’s commonly used in skin healing lotions, creams and body butters, as well as soaps, cosmetics and toiletries.

Benefits:

Kokum Butter is rich in essential fatty acids, which aid in cell oxygenation and make nutrients more readily available for use by skin tissues. Kokum Butter also contains antioxidant vitamin E.  Kokum Butter is a non-comodegenic (non pore-clogging) material that aids quick absorption and adds a premium texture to your cream emulsions. Kokum Butter helps regenerate tired and worn skin cells and supports skin elasticity and general flexibility of the skin wall. It has been used traditionally in India to soften skin and restore elasticity and as a balm for dry, cracked, rough and calloused skin. It is also beneficial for the treatment of many different conditions, such as:

  • Helps prevent dry skin and wrinkles
  • Helps regenerate skin cells

Using Kokum Butter:

With its relatively higher melt point, it melts slightly at skin temperatures making it ideal for lipsticks and balms; it‘s also a great addition to bar soaps and skin lotions and may be easily incorporated into Lotions, Creams, and Body Butters. It is also wonderful to use in the summer as a moisturizer before and after sun exposure to reduce possibility of the skin peeling or becoming dried out.  Use as an addition to:

  • Creams, lotions, balms
  • Cosmetic foundations
  • Lipsticks
  • Conditioners
  • Moisturizers
Specification for NB Kokum Fat
Physical Properties
S. NoParameterLimitsAOCS Method
1AppearanceLight pinkish white colour
2OdourCharacteristic odour of Kokum
3TasteTypical taste of Kokum
4Colour (Lovibond 5-1/4 scale)Max 7.0 RedCc 13b – 45
5Specific Gravity0.898 to 0.914Cc 10b-25
6Slip Melting Point34 – 40 deg CCc 3-25
7Moisture & Volaitle Matter0.5% MaxCa 2c-25
Chemical Properties
S. NoParameterLimitsAOCS Method
1Free Fatty Acid as Oleic0.5 % maxCa 5a-40
2Peroxide value (meq / kg)4.0 MaxJa 8-87
3Iodine Value34 – 40Cd 1c-85
4Saponification Value187 – 193Tl 1a-64
5Unsaponifable Matter1.2% MaxCa 6a-40
6Fatty Acid Composition in %:(Only for Major Components)
7Palmitic                       C16:0  2 – 8
8Margar                         C17:0  0 – 5
9Stearic                         C18:050 – 65
10Oleic                           C18:130 – 44
11Linoleic                        C18:2  0 – 8
12Aracid                         C20:0  0 – 5
Microbiological Characteristics
S. NoMicro-organismMaximumQ.C. Method
1Aerobic Plate Count1000 cfu per gmAOAC  990.12
2Yeast & Mold50 cfu  / gmBAM 19.01-19.03
3Total ColiformsNegativeAOAC 991.14
4E. ColiNegativeAOAC 991.14
5SalmonellaNegativeBAM 7.01-7.17
6C.P.StaphylococcusNegativeBAM 14.01 – 14
Fatty Acids

Oleic- 40-50%, Palmitic- 5-8%, Linoleic- 2-4%, Stearic- 40-45%