Palm stearin

Palm stearin suppliers and sourcing guide

Palm stearin is the solid, high-melting fraction left when palm oil (from the fruit flesh of Elaeis guineensis) is cooled and the crystals are separated from the liquid palm olein. It is high in palmitic acid and is sold in soft and hard grades with different melting points. Brands and manufacturers buy it as a structuring fat for shortenings, margarine and confectionery, for soap, and as a tableting excipient.

See suppliers What to ask for on the COA

Category: Oils and fats
Also known as: Palm oil stearin · Fatty acids, palm-oil stearin · Elaeis guineensis stearin
Facts checked: November 2026

Forms and grades of palm stearin

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

Soft and hard stearin
Grades from single or double fractionation with different iodine values and melting points.
RBD palm stearin
Refined, bleached and deodorized stearin, the standard food and cosmetic grade.
Flakes and powder
Stearin flaked or spray-chilled for easier dosing, including grades used as tablet binders and lubricants.
Certified sustainable
RSPO-certified supply under segregated, mass balance or book-and-claim models.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Iodine value: Iodine value (Wijs method), the main figure separating soft from hard stearin.
Slip melting point and solid fat content: Slip melting point and solid fat content by pulsed NMR at set temperatures, which predict texture.
Free fatty acids: Free fatty acids or acid value by titration (AOCS Ca 5a-40 or Cd 3d-63), which rises with poor seed handling, hydrolysis and age.
Peroxide value and color: Peroxide value and Lovibond color at release.
Contaminants: 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters by GC-MS, which form during refining of palm oils, plus heavy metals by ICP-MS.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Store dry, cool and away from heat and light, in closed bags or containers; in bulk it is kept heated just above its melting point only while being moved. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification.

Lots and expiry dates

Iodine value and melting point vary between fractionation runs, so record them for each lot and check against the grade your formula needs. Rotate first-expiry, first-out and keep sustainability certificates with lot records.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

The Codex standard for named vegetable oils, as printed in FAO's 2001 edition, defines palm stearin as the high-melting fraction from the fractionation of palm oil.
Source: fao.org (opens in a new tab)
The same edition sets a slip point for palm stearin of not less than 44 C.
Source: fao.org (opens in a new tab)
Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists palm stearin as a non-medicinal binder, diluent and lubricant.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
GRN 654, for a cocoa butter substitute made from palm oil stearin and stearic acid notified by IOI Loders Croklaan USA, closed with FDA having no questions.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (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.

Palm stearin suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking palm stearin suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

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Frequently asked questions

What forms of palm stearin can brands buy?

Common forms include soft and hard stearin, rBD palm stearin, flakes and powder and certified sustainable. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for palm stearin include?

Expect iodine value, slip melting point and solid fat content, free fatty acids, peroxide value and color and contaminants, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should palm stearin be stored?

What is the regulatory status of palm stearin?

The Codex standard for named vegetable oils, as printed in FAO's 2001 edition, defines palm stearin as the high-melting fraction from the fractionation of palm oil. The same edition sets a slip point for palm stearin of not less than 44 C. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists palm stearin as a non-medicinal binder, diluent and lubricant. GRN 654, for a cocoa butter substitute made from palm oil stearin and stearic acid notified by IOI Loders Croklaan USA, closed with FDA having no questions.

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