The chemical name for fractionated coconut oil is Capric Caprylic Triglyceride. When we first started Gritman back in the 90's, we were one of the first companies to use this oil. It was used widely in Europe but had not caught on in USA. It was distilled like an essential oil so it was pure, had no fragrance which made it ideal for blending and extending, did not stain clothes and sheets which was important to massage therapists, and did not go rancid easily - had shelf life of years and years.
At the time multi-marketing companies were using almond oil, apricot oil, and oils like these that went rancid to extend their essential oils. You often could smell the rancidity in there products. Once they found Fractionated Coconut Oil, there products had a longer shelf life and they could fool their buyers more easily. The demand for FCC went up dramatically and so did price. We could still find the distilled version but the multi-marketing companies used a solvent produced FCC which was cheaper but now the oil is not pure as it has solvent in it and they do not need to legally report this. Many of our customers went with the cheaper solvent oil. Plus Coconuts are not used so much being replaced by Palm Kernels to extract Capric Caprylic Triglyceride.
There came a time when we were not able to find the distilled or if we did the price had grown exponentially and we began buying the solvent produced oil. This created a crisis for us. The fractionated coconut oil that we loved was now different and there was little we could do about it. Chemically it was the same but the shelf life was no longer the same. We could not find a product to replace it. We refused to buy the solvent extracted oil and it went out of stock on our web.
Then came the Keto movement, a diet that was high in fat and was helping people lose weight. They started using MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) chemically Capric Caprylic Triglyceride. Here we have Fractionated Coconut Oil again but it is used for ingestion so it is purer and it is buffered for easy digestion. Of course it is higher in cost.
We are now selling MCT as Fractionated Coconut Oil. Both are Capric Caprylic Triglyceride. But what do we call it now? Do we continue with Fractionated Coconut Oil name because that is how it is known here? Should we change it to MCT? Maybe we should call it processed palm kernel oil?
We would like to hear your ideas on this!
At the time multi-marketing companies were using almond oil, apricot oil, and oils like these that went rancid to extend their essential oils. You often could smell the rancidity in there products. Once they found Fractionated Coconut Oil, there products had a longer shelf life and they could fool their buyers more easily. The demand for FCC went up dramatically and so did price. We could still find the distilled version but the multi-marketing companies used a solvent produced FCC which was cheaper but now the oil is not pure as it has solvent in it and they do not need to legally report this. Many of our customers went with the cheaper solvent oil. Plus Coconuts are not used so much being replaced by Palm Kernels to extract Capric Caprylic Triglyceride.
There came a time when we were not able to find the distilled or if we did the price had grown exponentially and we began buying the solvent produced oil. This created a crisis for us. The fractionated coconut oil that we loved was now different and there was little we could do about it. Chemically it was the same but the shelf life was no longer the same. We could not find a product to replace it. We refused to buy the solvent extracted oil and it went out of stock on our web.
Then came the Keto movement, a diet that was high in fat and was helping people lose weight. They started using MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) chemically Capric Caprylic Triglyceride. Here we have Fractionated Coconut Oil again but it is used for ingestion so it is purer and it is buffered for easy digestion. Of course it is higher in cost.
We are now selling MCT as Fractionated Coconut Oil. Both are Capric Caprylic Triglyceride. But what do we call it now? Do we continue with Fractionated Coconut Oil name because that is how it is known here? Should we change it to MCT? Maybe we should call it processed palm kernel oil?
We would like to hear your ideas on this!
Then I realized that MCT could be from coconuts. Because of the same scientific name the origins can get blurred. This is an interesting dilemma. Some essential oils can get blurred too like Rosemary. It will present with the same scientific name but have a different chemical profile. We have three here. Rosemary camphor, Rosemary cineole, Rosemary verbenone so rosemary is not enough to tell you what it is. At least your nose can tell the difference, but with capric caprilic triglyceride your nose is of no help. Then you have to ask yourself: Does it really matter here? Maybe not.
I would call it Palm Kernel Oil.