Acai Oil
The acai palm, also called cabbage palm, grows in the South American Amazon region, especially in the north of Brazil, in the state of Pará. In the humid, warm climate, the tree’s many slender trunks reach a height of about 25 meters. Acai oil is obtained from the fruits of the cabbage palm.
The acai palm, whose botanical name is Euterpe Oleracea, usually bears fruit twice a year. The shiny dark purple drupes grow in lush umbels. They are about the size of a cherry, and their pit makes up as much as 90 percent of the fruit. Like hearts of palm, they are edible. They have a fatty, earthy flavor, somewhat reminiscent of olives, and cause an astringent sensation in the mouth.
As a food, they have a long tradition for the indigenous people. They are eaten together with fish and cassava, or as a sauce or sweet dessert.
Assai is a nutty-tasting drink made from the fruit of the cabbage palm, popular in South America. In cities where there are freezers and ice cream parlors, the pureed berry is offered as purple ice cream.
In addition to its use as food, the leaves of the palm are used to make hats, mats, baskets. The wood is used as a building material.
The fruit and its acai oil are also used as a remedy for diarrhea, skin ulcers and fever.
Increasing demand
In Brazil, the acai berry is used not only as food, but to a large extent for the production of soap.
The demand for the acai oil berry is also increasing worldwide.
In Europe, it has become a fashionable fruit and is now considered a superfruit or miracle berry because of its antioxidant properties.
It is offered in powder form, energy drinks, juice, capsules, fruit spreads, lozenges or as an edible oil for salad.
While acai oil products were initially offered mainly in online retail, they can now be bought in supermarkets.
There are opportunities and risks in the increasing demand.
The demand can no longer be met by the traditional collector economy alone.
When using acai oil as a raw material or as a finished consumer product, it is therefore important to pay attention to its sustainable origin.
Sustainable extraction
The demand for acai berries can provide new sources of income for the inhabitants of the Amazon basin and sustainable cultivation, if the protection of the biodiversity of the sensitive rainforest and fair trade with the indigenous inhabitants are respected. Then the acai palm offers good opportunities to combine commercialization, nature and improvement of the living standards of the indigenous people.
Since the palm is a permanent crop, slash-and-burn cultivation for ever-changing annual crops is no longer necessary.
In the sustainable extraction of natural resources from sensitive ecosystems, such as the Brazilian rainforest, responsible companies therefore work with local communities and associations in appropriate programs to ensure the protection of natural resources and fair trading conditions in the extraction and production of raw materials.
To increase the value for international trade and to guarantee good product quality, certifications are added, e.g. Ecocert, Cosmos, USDA Organic, Organico Brasil, Euro-Bio-Label for the products of the Brazilian raw material supplier Beraca.
If there is no corresponding information/certification for the extraction of acai oil products, it cannot be ruled out that environmental protection and occupational safety have not been observed, and the content of the valuable ingredients is also not guaranteed.
Disadvantages
Adverse effects of acai berries are not known.
However, the raw fruit may contain pathogens of Chagas disease.
The fruits provide valuable nutrients, but the often advertised effects against obesity, diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular problems or cancer are not scientifically confirmed, nor are the alleged appetite suppressing or cholesterol lowering effects.
One drawback is the berries’ easy perishability. They must be processed within eight hours of harvest. Either they are freeze-dried and packed in an airtight container to be used as an extract in powder form. For acai oil extraction, cold pressing must be done just as quickly. If they are pureed, they must be preserved like jam or frozen immediately. The high content of vitamin C in the fresh fruit is partly lost by transport, processing.
The requirement for freshness also applies to use as a raw material in cosmetics.
The right time for harvesting also requires tact. The berries should be ripe in order to have developed their vital substances and must not be harvested too early. Unlike bananas, for example, they do not continue the ripening process after being harvested.
Organic quality, sustainability and traceable supply chains are prerequisites for responsible and safe products. (see above)
Furthermore, in the case of raw materials from production that is not strictly controlled, contamination with mineral oil hydrocarbons from diesel-powered drying plants cannot be ruled out.
What are the valuable substances in acai oil?
The fruits contain antioxidants in high concentration. Predominant are the anthocyanins that give the berries their dark purple color. They are extremely good free radical scavengers and the main reason for the reputation that acai berries have as a superfood.
Relevant anthocyanins are cyanidin-3-0-glycoside and cyanidin-3-0-rutinoside.
However, anthocyanin content is higher in elderberry and black currant. Blueberries, red grapes or red cabbage can also keep up, have shorter transport routes and are more valuable suppliers for consumption thanks to their freshness.
However, since the açai berry consists largely of the kernel, this results in a high fat content of over 50 percent. Over half is oleic acid, plus palmitic acid, unsaturated fatty acids such as linolenic acid, and omega-6 and -9 fatty acids in balanced proportions, and phytosterols.
The fats have an affinity with the skin and are all recommended for skin care:
Oleic acid: component in skin sebum.
Palmitic acid: Component in the lipid mantle of the skin
Linolenic acid: good for dry skin
Phytosterols: in the lipid film of the skin
Omega 6, 9: anti-inflammatory, strengthen skin barrier and cell membrane, anti-pruritus, dryness.
The high content of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cell-protecting polyphenols as well as the vegetable fatty acids make the acai berry interesting for cosmetics.
In addition, there are vitamins A, C, E, B1, 2, 3, 6 and minerals such as iron, manganese, magnesium. Especially worth mentioning is the high calcium content, through which the fruit can usefully complement a vegan diet.
Acai oil in cosmetics
With its high content of antioxidant polyphenols and plant lipids, acai fruit extract and acai oil are ideal for use in skin and hair care.
Formulations with acai oil are quickly absorbed into the skin and spread well. They have a moisturizing, plumping and smoothing effect, reduce signs of aging, inhibit glycosylation, protect against harmful environmental influences, improve the radiance of the skin.
These properties result in a whole range of applications in skin care:
Anti-aging and anti-wrinkle products: Ideal for mature skin,
face masks, serums for skin repair and revitalization
Skin cleansing products with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, nourishing effects
Bath and shower products with moisturizing effects
Body lotions for the care of dry skin
Palm berries have also proven their worth in hair care.
It makes hair easier to comb, smoothes it, gives it shine and volume, is ideal in conditioners, as a consistency agent and, thanks to natural surfactants, in hair shampoos.
Due to the consistency-giving and nourishing fats, acai oil also fits well in lip care products, nourishing nail polish and is also suitable as a carrier oil for aromatherapy.
At the manufacturer Beraca, which offers high-quality components from the Brazilian rainforest for cosmetics, we found some interesting combinations of active ingredients with acai.
– Acai oil plus passion fruit (see > passion fruit) and rice bran oil replace silicone in a revitalizing hair care complex.
– The above combination plus babaçu oil can be used in moisturizing creams and
lotions, after-sun lotions, cellulite cream, tattoo care and eyebrow creams and gels.
– In a complex of acai oil plus copaíba (see > Copaíba) and andiroba (see > Andiroba) for use in products for the care of oily and acne-prone skin.
– Acai oil seeds are suitable as abrasive particles, whether in shower gels, soaps, scalp care products, facial cleansers, hand and foot care or massage products. They are a 100% natural alternative to polyethylene granules.
PROFILE: Acai Oil
INCI: Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract / Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
CAS No.: 879496-95-4, 861902-11-6, 906351-38-0
Origin: Brazil
Description: Oil
Production: cold pressing
Storage: cool, dry, protected from light
Shelf life: 12- 24 months
Main ingredients: Anthocyanins, antioxidants, omega-6, -9 fatty acids, oleic acid, palmitic acid, linolenic acid, phytosterols.
Uses: soaps, body care, facial care, moisturizing products, shampoos, hair care
Properties: absorbs quickly into the skin, good spreading properties
Effects: moisturizing, antioxidant, revitalizing, anti-aging
Recommended concentration for use: 2-5 %
The cold pressed oil develops its full potential when added to the oil phase in a cold state.
We like to work with the following Acai-containing active ingredients:
| Name | Company Name | INCI Name | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Açai Oil | 100% Amazonia | Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil | |
| Açai Oil | Beraca - a Clariant Group Company | Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil | |
| Acai Oil - BCE1094 | Biocosmethic | Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil , Tocopherol | |
| Organic Açai Oil | 100% Amazonia | Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil | |
| Organic Açai Oil | Beraca - a Clariant Group Company | Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil | |
| Organic Acai Oil - BCE1555 | Biocosmethic | Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil | |
| ANTI-ACNE - BERACARE TRIPLE A SYSTEM | Beraca - a Clariant Group Company | Copaifera Officinalis (Balsam Copaiba) Resin , Carapa Guianensis Seed Oil , Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil | |
| Revitalization Hair System - Beracare ARS | DKSH | Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil , Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil , Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil |
High quality acai oil cosmetics from Cosmacon.
The Amazon rainforest with its overwhelming biodiversity is a valuable source of raw materials. In order to be able to use the precious ingredients for pharmacy, cosmetics and nutrition sustainably, for future generations and in the best quality, they must be obtained responsibly and with respect for nature and the people living there. That is why we pay special attention to the origin of the acai oil berry, which we offer you for different formulations. The fruit of the cabbage palm surprises with its composition of strong antioxidants and high fatty acid content. This makes it ideal for high-quality anti-aging products, natural cosmetics or hair care formulations.
Sources:
Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Euterpe oleracea Roots and Leaflets.; Brunschwig C, Leba LJ, Saout M, Martial K, Bereau D, Robinson JC.Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Dec 29;18(1):61
Toxicological evaluation of Euterpe edulis: a potential superfruit to be considered.; Felzenszwalb I, da Costa Marques MR, Mazzei JL, Aiub CA.Food Chem Toxicol. 2013 Aug;58:536-44