Castor oil
Castor oil is pressed from the seeds of Ricinus communis, grown mainly in India. About 90% of its fatty acids are ricinoleic acid, a hydroxy fatty acid that makes the oil thick, viscous and soluble in alcohol. The seeds contain ricin, a toxic protein that stays in the press cake and is not carried into properly processed oil. Brands buy pharmaceutical (USP) castor oil, cosmetic first-pressing oil, and hydrogenated castor oil (castor wax).
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Refined oil meeting the USP monograph, used in food-additive, drug and supplement applications.
Pale oil from the first pressing, preferred for cosmetics such as lip and hair products.
Oil with reduced color and odor for cosmetics and technical uses.
Castor wax, a hard, high-melting solid used as a thickener and in coatings.
Cold-pressed oil from certified organic seed.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store sealed at room temperature, away from heat and light; castor oil is relatively stable but should be kept dry. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with acid value and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
Record the grade (USP, cosmetic, hydrogenated) for each lot and keep the pharmacopeial certificate for USP lots. Color and odor vary between pressings, so set limits for your product.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 172.876 permits castor oil meeting USP specifications as a food additive: as a release and antisticking agent in hard candy (not over 500 parts per million) and as a component of protective coatings on vitamin and mineral tablets.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists castor oil from the seed of Ricinus communis, with an acceptable daily intake of up to 0.7 mg/kg body weight referenced to JECFA.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Distributor · Blue Bell, PA
Pennsylvania distributor of oleochemicals and personal care ingredients, including castor products, fatty alcohols, esters, glycerin and natural oils and butters.
Distributor · Des Plaines, IL
Illinois supplier of bulk oils, butters, waxes and soap-making bases, owned by Columbus Vegetable Oils, selling to soap makers and small personal care brands.
Manufacturer · Deerfield, IL
US oleochemical producer whose personal care unit (which absorbed Jeen International) sources, blends and refines natural oils and butters in cosmetic, food and pharma grades, and makes glycerin.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include uSP / pharmaceutical grade, cold-pressed (first pressing), refined and deodorized, hydrogenated castor oil and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect ricinoleic acid, acid, hydroxyl and iodine values, viscosity, specific gravity and optical rotation, peroxide value, heavy metals and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store sealed at room temperature, away from heat and light; castor oil is relatively stable but should be kept dry. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with acid value and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
21 CFR 172.876 permits castor oil meeting USP specifications as a food additive: as a release and antisticking agent in hard candy (not over 500 parts per million) and as a component of protective coatings on vitamin and mineral tablets. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists castor oil from the seed of Ricinus communis, with an acceptable daily intake of up to 0.7 mg/kg body weight referenced to JECFA.
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