Cocoa butter is a type of fat that comes from cocoa beans. To harness cocoa butter, the beans are taken out of the larger cacao plant. Then they’re roasted, stripped, and pressed to separate out the fat—the cocoa butter. The remnants are then processed into cocoa powder.
Cocoa has been used in medicine for around 3,000 years. It was a favorite ingredient of the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, who even used cocoa for currency. More recently, researchers have discovered that compounds called phytochemicals in cocoa might help keep both your body and skin healthy.
Cocoa Butter generally has a soft, sweet cocoa aroma and it is one of the most stable fats known. It has been used to moisturize skin that has been exposed to the elements, and to keep skin supple. It makes a wonderful ingredient in lotion bars, lip balms, body butters, and soaps. Cocoa Butter contains natural antioxidants that prevent rancidity. This butter is crude, so very hard in consistency, and its natural range may comprise a light to darker colour, and a medium to stronger scent like a strong bitter chocolate.
This butter should be stored in a cool dark place and has a shelf-life of 1 year when stored properly.
COLOUR: Off white to magnolia coloured
APPEARANCE: Solid mass
ODOUR: Free from rancid and foreign odours. Slight odour of Cocoa butter.
| Melting point | 34.1 °C (93.4 °F), 35–36.5 °C (95.0–97.7 °F) |
| Solidity at 20 °C (68 °F) | solid |
| Refractive index | 1.44556–1.44573 |
SOLUBILITY IN WATER: Insoluble ACID VALUE( KOH/g): 1.0 max
PEROXIDE VALUE (meq O2 / kg): 5.0 max
LOVIBOND COLOUR (5.25” CELL): 3.5 red max
IODINE VALUE ( wijs): 33 - 42
SAPONIFICATION VALUE: 188 – 200
RELATIVE DENSITY (40ºC): 0.882 – 0.898
REFRACTIVE INDEX (40ºC): 1.455 – 1.458
SLIP POINT: 28 - 34ºC
UNSAPONIFIABLE MATTER: 0.5% max
TYPICAL FATTY ACID PROFILE: C16 Palmitic: 22 - 28 C18 Stearic: 30 – 37 C18:1 Oleic: 32 – 39 C18:2 Linoleic: 0 – 3
