Description
Stearyl Alcohol, also known as Octadecan-1-ol, is a compound produced from stearic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid. It occurs naturally in camellias, bees and other organisms. It is a fatty alcohol with a wide range of roles as a flavouring, oil-making or thickening agent in foods, and as an emollient and stabilising agent in cosmetics.
Uses
Stearyl Alcohol has a wide range of uses in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food and cosmetic industries. Synthetic stearyl alcohol has been approved as a direct and indirect food additive ingredient and as an ingredient in over-the-counter drugs. It is used as a defoamer, lubricant, resin and surfactant in textile oils and finishes. Used as a flavouring, oil-building or thickening agent in foods. In cosmetics, it is a surfactant used to stabilise emulsions and increase their ability to retain large amounts of water, as an emollient and as a stabiliser.
Definition
ChEBI: Octadecan-1-ol is a long-chain primary fatty alcohol consisting of a hydroxy function at C-1 of an unbranched saturated chain of 18 carbon atoms. It has a role as a plant metabolite, a human metabolite and an algal metabolite. It is a long-chain primary fatty alcohol and an octadecanol.
