Coconut acid is a mixture of fatty acids derived from coconut oil, and is used in many soaps and cleansers. We use this ingredient in our laundry liquid as a plant-based defoamer.

Coconut acid is a derivative of coconut oil, which is produced from the fruit of the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera). Coconut oil can be produced by first drying the fruit using sunlight or kilns. The dried flesh or ‘copra’ then undergoes cold-pressing or solvent extraction to draw out the oil. Coconut oil is particularly rich in saturated fats, including lauric, myristic and palmitic fatty acids, which can be separated or ‘fractionated’ into coconut acid.

Coconut acid is an alkaline surfactant (cleansing agent). Using this ingredient in our laundry liquid lowers the pH, which makes the product produce less foam during the wash cycle. As well as helping to prevent over-foaming, particularly in high-efficiency machines, this also makes it easier to rinse dirt away while still ensuring powerful cleaning performance.

Other names: Coco Fatty Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Acid

Chemical class: Fatty Acids

Main constituents: (oil fatty acids) Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Caprylic Acid, Capric Acid, Oleic Acid

REFERENCES

J.J. Lal, C.V. Sreeranjit Kumar, M. Indira. Coconut Palm. Editor(s): Benjamin Caballero, Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second Edition), Academic Press, 2003, Pages 1464-1475, ISBN 9780122270550, https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-12-227055-X/00263-7.

Burnett, C. L., Bergfeld, W. F., Belsito, D. V., Klaassen, C. D., Marks, J. G., Shank, R. C., Slaga, T. J., Snyder, P. W., & Andersen, F. A. (2011). Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil and Related Ingredients. International Journal of Toxicology, 30(3_suppl), 5S-16S. https://doi.org/10.1177/1091581811400636