Coconut Oil and Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) Oil Review — Semi-Solid and Liquid Oils & Supplements

Testing Methods:

1. Total amounts of C-6, C-8, C-10, C-12, C-14, C16, C-18 and C-20 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids by Gas Chromatography (GC) utilizing a modified AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists, International) Official Method 996.06 or other appropriate methods determined by CL.
2. Analysis for lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury for all products using ICP-MS.
3. Peroxide Value (PV) utilizing American oil Chemists Society (AOCS) method Cd 8-53.
4. Acid Value (AV) utilizing AOCS method Cd 3d-63.
5. Disintegration time of Non-chewable, non-capsule, non-sublingual and non-time release formulations using United States Pharmacopeia (USP) <2040> recommendations entitled "Disintegration and Dissolution of Nutritional Supplements."

Passing Score:*

1. Products claiming to be coconut oil must comply with the following fatty acid profile (USP40-NF35):

   Carbon-Chain Length	Number of Double Bonds	Percentage (%)
   6	0	≤1.5
   8	0	5.0—11.0
   10	0	4.0—9.0
   12	0	40.0—50.0
   14	0	15.0—20.0
   16	0	7.0—12.0
   18	0	1.5—5.0
   20	0	≤0.2
   16	1	≤1.0
   18	1	4.0—10.0
   18	2	1.0—3.0
   18	3	≤0.2
   20	1	≤0.2

   
   Products claiming to be liquid (purified) coconut oil and/or MCTs must comply with the following fatty acid profile (USP40-NF35):

   Carbon-Chain Length	Number of Double Bonds	Percentage (%)
   6	0	≤2.0
   8	0	50.0—80.0
   10	0	20.0—50.0
   12	0	≤32.0
   14	0	≤1.0

2. Heavy metals: Products must not exceed the following limits:
   Lead**:
   • Products marketed for use by children may not exceed the State of California's Prop 65 limits for lead in dietary supplements of 0.5 mcg per recommended daily serving with an additional allowance of 0.8 mcg if the product contains more than 1,000 mg/day of calcium.
   • Products with single serving weights of less than 5 grams that are not marketed for use by children, may not exceed the State of California's Prop 65 limits for lead in dietary supplements of 0.5 mcg per recommended daily serving with an additional allowance of 0.4 mcg if containing 250 - 999 mg/day of any combination of elemental calcium, magnesium and potassium or 0.8 mcg if containing more than 1,000 mg/day of any combination of these minerals. An additional allowance of 0.5 mcg is provided if containing 250-999 mg/day of whole herb (not extract) or 1.0 mcg if containing 1000 mg/day or more whole herb (not extract). However, total lead allowance will not exceed 2 mcg.
   • Products with single serving weights of 5 grams or more which are not marketed for children may not exceed 2.5 mcg per serving nor 4.0 mcg per daily serving.
   Cadmium**:
   • If marketed for use by children, may not exceed 3.0 micrograms of cadmium per recommended daily serving (based on Canada's limit for a child weighing 75 lbs.). If not marketed for use by children, may not exceed 4.1 micrograms of cadmium per recommended daily serving (based on the State of California's Prop 65 limit).
   Arsenic:
   • Contain less than 10 micrograms of total arsenic and no more than 5 micrograms of inorganic arsenic per daily serving (EPA limit and state of New Jersey limits - based on 1 liter of water).
   Mercury:
   • Contain less than 2 micrograms of mercury per daily serving (based on EPA limit for mercury in 1 liter of water).
3. Peroxide Value: For products containing coconut oil: Not more than 5 meq/kg. For products containing liquid coconut oil and MCT's: Not more than 1.0 meq/kg.
4. Acid Value: For products containing coconut oil: Not more than 0.5 mg KOH/g. For products containing liquid coconut oil and MCT's: Not more than 0.2 mg KOH/g.
5. Meet recommended USP <2040> parameters for disintegration of dietary supplements (excluding capsule, chewable, sublingual and time-release products).
6. Be in compliance with FDA labeling requirements.