Buriti Oil
The buriti palm is very widespread in Brazil, especially in the Brazilian savannah (Cerrado) and the humid tropical rainforests of the Amazon. The large, single-trunked tree reaches a height of 25-35 meters with a diameter of 30 to 60 cm and shapes the image of many regions with its hemispherical, spreading crown. Buriti oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the fruits of the Mauritia flexuosa, also known as Buriti palm. The oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and is often used in natural beauty products for its moisturizing and nourishing properties. In some parts of South America, it is also used as an edible oil.
Extraction and Use
The flowers are orange; the male flowers are in catkins, the female with two together. The drupes are 5 to 7 cm long, spherical to ovoid and reddish-brown. Inside in the yellow-orange flesh there is a hard stone. In a year the Buriti palm bears 400 to 500 kg of fruit. Oil is extracted from the pulp, which is also used in sweets and desserts. The fruit is eaten raw, processed into flour or fermented into alcoholic beverages. The oil pressed from the fruit is used, for example, as cooking oil.
The pith of the leaf stalks is used to make mats and paper. The fibers of the young leaves are made into ropes and hammocks.
Wine and sago starch are obtained from the trunk.
Plantation cultivation is not necessary because the palm is very common. Wild fruits have a higher density of active ingredients anyway.
In Brazil, the buriti fruit has become a superfood. Due to its high content of β-carotene and vegetable fatty acids, buriti oil is one of the most valuable natural oils. It is used as a dietary supplement, against vitamin A deficiency and for sun protection.
Carotenoids strengthen the immune system and keep skin and hair in healthy condition. In addition, there is the antioxidant activity of carotenoids. It is eight times higher in buriti oil than in tocopherol alone. Studies show that the carotenoids effectively suppress the formation of singlet oxygen, such as that produced by UV radiation as a peroxide radical. In Brazil, buriti oil is considered a natural sunscreen. It is mixed with annatto to form a paste. The Amazon Indians use the mixture after bathing, for protection from the sun and against skin aging and irritation. The high content of carotenoids gives the buriti fruit its reddish color and consequently the skin its reddish glow.
It is important that the fruits are collected by indigenous communities. They know the best locations for good fruit. The collection of the fruit is done in the rainy season in the immediate vicinity, otherwise the baskets would be too heavy. Outside the rainy season, harvesting is also done in more distant regions. After collecting, the fruits are washed and processed.
Disadvantages
Unfortunately, stretching with inferior oils is common. Buriti oil is often blended with coloring discount oil in Europe or tocopherol is added to refined oil and offered as cold pressed. Oil stretched in this way has a lower price, lower quality, hardly any bioactive substances and is paler. The addition of tocopherol is intended to give the impression of cold-pressed buriti oil.
Buriti oil in cosmetics
With its content of vitamins A and E, buriti oil provides intensive moisturizing of the skin, soothes irritations and improves skin elasticity. It is a valuable ingredient in anti-aging creams and ideal for dry and mature skin. It nourishes skin and hair, makes them supple and can be used for hot oil treatment of damaged and dry hair.
β-Carotene reduces oxidation processes, regulates cell growth, increases the response of the immune system. Thanks to these properties, buriti oil helps regenerate sun-damaged skin and is suitable for pre/after sun care.
It also cares for skin suffering from neurodermatitis or psoriasis. Buriti fruit oil is a neutral oil, which means that it has no comedogenic effect. Its suitability for treating skin wounds and burns deserves special mention. Pure buriti oil can replace iodine tincture in the aftercare of wounds.
From historical records, it was observed in animals that on the third day after surgery, slight hyperemia was evident and crusting had begun. The control group treated with iodine solution still had redness and swelling. On the seventh day, the wound of the animals treated with Buriti was covered with a crust and showed no signs of inflammation. The wound of the control group appeared almost unchanged on the seventh day compared to the third day.
The manufacturer Beraca, which offers high-quality components from the Brazilian rainforest for cosmetics, uses buriti seeds as abrasive particles, whether in shower gels, soaps, scalp care products, facial cleansers, hand and foot care or massage products. They are a 100 percent natural, biodegradable alternative to polyethylene granules. Read more interesting facts about the topic of organic exfoliants.
PROFILE: Buriti Oil
INCI: Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
CAS number: 394239-67-9, 906350-92-3
Description: Fruit oil, orange-red
Storage: cool, dry, protected from light
Storage temperature: 14 – 18°C
Shelf life: unopened 14 – 18 months
Production: cold pressing
Origin: Brazil
Properties: Low spreading capacity, very oily
Effect: Antioxidant effect, moisturizing
Uses: Anti-aging, pre/after sun care, sensitive skin, tattoo care, hair nourishing
Ingredients:
- Highly concentrated in carotenoids: β-carotene, lutein, all-trans 13-cis isomer, phytofluenes, zeaxanthin, mutatochrome, also gallic acid, anthocyanins, scorapine, myricetin, rutin
- Fatty acids: oleic acid (78.5%), palmitic acid (15%) and stearic acid, linoleic acid, palmitoic acid, omega-9
- Antioxidants: vitamins A and E
We like to work with the following buriti oils:
| Trade Name | Company Name | INCI | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Buriti Oil | Laboratoires Prod'Hyg | Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil | |
| Buriti Oil | Beraca - a Clariant Group Company | Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil | |
| Organic Buriti Oil | Beraca - a Clariant Group Company | Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil | |
| Buriti Oil | 100% Amazonia | Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil | |
| Buriti Oil | Citróleo | Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil | |
| Buriti Oil (Virgin) | Gfn-Selco | Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil | |
| Seatons Buriti Oil | Croda | Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil | |
| Melscreen Buriti FG | Chemyunion | Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil |
Buriti oil in high quality cosmetics
Buriti oil is an incomparable concentrate of β-carotene and valuable vegetable oils. This makes it suitable for a wide range of cosmetic applications, especially for mature and dry skin, anti-aging products, for skin care before and after sun exposure and for nourishing hair masks. When choosing the oil, special attention must be paid to the high quality, as there are often adulterated products from cheap suppliers. Cosmacon will be happy to advise you in choosing a good buriti oil and using it in your products.
Sources:
Alternative sources of oils and fats from Amazonian plants: Fatty acids, methyl tocols, total carotenoids and chemical composition.; Food Res Int. 2019 Feb;116:12-19
Phytochemistry Profile, Nutritional Properties and Pharmacological Activities of Mauritia flexuosa.; Pereira Freire JA, Barros KBNT, Lima LKF, Martins JM, Araújo YC, da Silva Oliveira GL, de Souza Aquino J, Ferreira PMP. J Food Sci. 2016 Nov;81(11):R2611-R2622
Biocompatible Gels of Chitosan-Buriti Oil for Potential Wound Healing Applications.; Materials (Basel). 2020 Apr 23;13(8):1977.
Physicochemical characterization and antimicrobial activity in novel systems containing buriti oil and structured lipids nanoemulsions.; Biotechnol Rep (Amst). 2019 Aug 8;24:e00365.