Soap Preparation from mechanically cold pressed Nigerian neem (<i>Azadiracta Indica</i>) seed oil

Abstract

Neem seed oil from the neem tree (Azadiracta indica) finds wide usage one of which is its utilization for cosmetics particularly soap products. The chemical analysis of seed oil was carried out using the methods reported by AOAC (1998), Akpan et al., (2006) and Bassir, (1978) which revealed that it had saponification, iodine and acid values of 148.8 ± 1.168 mgKOH/g , 73.76 ± 0.397 I2/100g and 22.37 ±1.168 mgKOH/g  respectively. The analytical values obtained were in favour of the utilization of the indigenous neem seed oil in soap production. The pH of the soap was 9.90, comparably within the higher pH range of 9-11 set by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), due to incomplete alkali hydrolysis resulting from the saponification process. The foam height of the soap was found to be 2.0 cm which is lower than that of Jatropha oil soap(5.4cm), Sesame oil soap(4.8cm), Cotton seed oil soap(4.5cm) and shea nut soap(4.2cm),t higher than that of Castor oil soap(1.6cm) and Castor glycerine soap(1.4cm). The soap was milk in colour and slightly soluble in distilled water.

Keywords: Neem oil, Quality control, Saponification, Alkali free, Foamability.