Canola Oil in Soap

[simplymcghie]

One of my best recipes that I use very frequently has canola oil in it at about 19%. I read on here somewhere that it can tend to make DOS in your soap but so far I've never noticed a problem. But I guess my question is, do people get turned off from your soap if they see canola oil listed as one of the ingredients? I'm just trying to figure out if I should come up with a different recipe for soaps that I sell.

 

[soapbuddy]

I've tried canola and got DOS. I no longer use it.

 

[Fragola]

It probably depends on what information your customers have about canola soap and if they buy for many months in advance. You should rely a lot on feedback from your own customers.

I don't buy soap for long term storage purposes, so that wouldn't be an issue for me.

Btw, if you have a secret which prevents DOS, feel free to share it

 

[Soapy Gurl]

I have two favorite recipes, one has 15% canola. I still have one bar left from a year ago, no problems. If your recipe works for you, keep it! As far as what people think. General consumers aren't soap experts, so I doubt that ingredient would turn them off to buying your soap.

 

[simplymcghie]

Btw, if you have a secret which prevents DOS, feel free to share it

I wish I had a secret which prevented DOS cuz that would be great and I would definitely share.

Maybe starting with a super clean work space/ environment and quality ingredients??

But I really have no clue.

 

[IrishLass]

Btw, if you have a secret which prevents DOS, feel free to share it

This has been discussed on the forum before, but here is a great link to Dr. Kevin Dunn's experiments/conclusions concerning DOS and what works and what doesn't at preventing DOS:

http://cavemanchemistry.com/HsmgDos2006.pdf


IrishLass

 

[simplymcghie]

thank you!! I'll definitely be reading that.

 

[IrishLass]

One of my best recipes that I use very frequently has canola oil in it at about 19%. I read on here somewhere that it can tend to make DOS in your soap but so far I've never noticed a problem.

And I hope you never do. The only batch I ever had DOS on me was a canola batch and I had to throw it away. The DOS showed up a few months after I made it and infected the whole 3 lb. batch. A good thing to keep in mind is that DOS does not show up right away. Usually it takes months, so it is good practice to set aside a sample from your canola batches (or any batches made with high linoleic oils) to keep an eye on for a period of time (to me, a year would be ideal). Subjecting them to heat/humidity tests is good, too, just to see how they react/perform under certain stressful conditions.

But I guess my question is, do people get turned off from your soap if they see canola oil listed as one of the ingredients? I'm just trying to figure out if I should come up with a different recipe for soaps that I sell.

I personally have never run into anyone averse to canola in soap, or any other oil/fat/butter I put in my soap for that matter. They're happy if it just smells good, lathers good, and gets them clean without drying them out (we're not too picky around here). I feel safe to say, though, that they would get turned off if their soap all of a sudden came down with ugly, orange, DOS measles. I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate that all that much.


IrishLass

 

[simplymcghie]

And I hope you never do. The only batch I ever had DOS on me was a canola batch and I had to throw it away. The DOS showed up a few months after I made it and infected the whole 3 lb. batch. A good thing to keep in mind is that DOS does not show up right away. Usually it takes months, so it is good practice to set aside a sample from your canola batches (or any batches made with high linoleic oils) to keep an eye on for a period of time (to me, a year would be ideal). Subjecting them to heat/humidity tests is good, too, just to see how they react/perform under certain stressful conditions.

I have a few bars that I've been keeping for about 6 months and they haven't had any problems. I've only experienced DOS once and that was on a rebatch that I did. I'm just being a little paranoid about it now. I would hate for customers to come back and tell me their soap went bad

 

[tryanything]

The very first batch of soap I ever made had about 20% canola oil. I didn't know at the time that it was prone to DOS. But here it is, a year later and the soap I have left is still looking good. Go figure. I haven't used canola since though so I don't know if I would continue to have problems are not. I've heard others say they love it.

 

[Fragola]

This has been discussed on the forum before, but here is a great link to Dr. Kevin Dunn's experiments/conclusions concerning DOS and what works and what doesn't at preventing DOS

I have seen that article before, very informative.

However, from browsing this forum, it seems that certain people successfully prevent DOS, without doing anything obvious. Or they simply don't notice them

 

[vjbakke]

Personally I don't buy or make soap with canola but not because of the problem with DOS. I don't because most canola is genetically modified. I make GMO free and organic soaps. Just my 2 cents.

 

[carebear]

It probably depends on what information your customers have about canola soap

what sort of information?

 

[carebear]

This has been discussed on the forum before, but here is a great link to Dr. Kevin Dunn's experiments/conclusions concerning DOS and what works and what doesn't at preventing DOS

I have seen that article before, very informative.

However, from browsing this forum, it seems that certain people successfully prevent DOS, without doing anything obvious. Or they simply don't notice them

You clearly don't get it, and I'm not speaking of DOS.
Do you think we are making it all up?

 

[ChrissyB]

How do you know the soap with 19% canola doesn't develop DOS?
How long have you kept the soap for? In what type of conditions? How old is the soap when you sell it? Just because a soap hasn't DOS'd at 4 weeks doesn't mean it wont DOS at 8 weeks, or 12 weeks, or whatever.

 

[LauraHoosier]

Personally when I added Canola to my batches I'd read about the DOS potential and added Vit E along with it. I use 15-20% and I'm still watching my bars and at 4 months still nothing but anyone testing bars from me I've warned them about DOS.

Since its friends and family I asked that if it DOS shows up to let me know the conditions they were kept in. So I have my own control group and my testers are another.

Also, according to my soapcalc numbers my L&L numbers are only at a total of 13% I think which, on another thread running on this same topic, commented that those numbers kept below a certain level would mean I've lessened my chances of DOS as well.

Not saying it will never happen but I've done what I could and now time will tell and I'll be watching.

 

[carebear]

I expect my soaps to last at very minimum 1 year in pretty much all "normal" conditions - and normal for a soap means on the ledge in the shower. not saying your canola soaps won't survive those conditions - but it's more than likely you will get DOS. if you get it, no biggie - if a customer gets it... ICK.

 

[simplymcghie]

Personally I don't buy or make soap with canola but not because of the problem with DOS. I don't because most canola is genetically modified. I make GMO free and organic soaps. Just my 2 cents.

Very good thing to think about. I've been doing a little reading about canola oil and just learned that a lot of it is genetically modified. It sure makes me think about it. . .

 

[my2scents]

i use it & I've never had a problem. I always ck the date on the bottle when I buy it & I NEVER heat the canola, ( I read somwhere that this can cause problems)

 

[Bubbly Buddha]

I don't use Canola personally, but in perusing the craft sales locally I've noticed that two different sellers both list Canola in their ingredients, along with some preservatives (Rosemary Olerosin I believe). The other sellers did not provide an ingredient listing for me to examine :wink: .