TABLE OF CONTENTS

No. Contents Page Number

1 Summary/Abstract 2
2 Objectives 3
3 Introduction and theory 3
4 Results 5
5 Discussions 9
6 Conclusion and recommendations 12
7 References 13
8 Appendices 14

1.0 SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT

The main objective of this experiment of lab scale soap production is to study the lab
scale soap production using the saponification reaction of fatty acid. Other objectives are to
calculate and determine the pH value and moisture content (%) of the soap that has been
CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

produced and to produce average good quality of soap bar using basic formulation from palm oil.
NaOH is the substances used to determine the pH of the soap which it is known as a strong
alkaline where it dissociates fully in water to produce sodium and hydroxyl ions. Based on the
results of the experiment, the value of pH of the soap is 7 which it is neutral and it is suitable to
be used which it good for skin. The three samples was observed to ensure the accurate and
precise saponification values where after doing some calculations based on SV of the oil, the
exactly weight of materials was got in order to make a pH 7 soap. For the saponification value, it
can be deduced that the smaller the molar mass of the fat, the higher the saponification value
after three samples being measured. The average of the moisture content for the soap that is
produced is 6.73 % which it shows that the soap has good moisture content which it means that
the soap that has been produced has an average of water content. The moisture content need to be
lowered as it will shows slightly alkaline where high moisture content in soap could lead to
reaction of excess water with unsaponified fat to give the free fatty acid and glycerol in a process
called hydrolysis of soap.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

1. To study the process of lab scale soap production using the saponification reaction of
fatty acid.

2. To calculate and determine the pH value and moisture content (%) of the soap that has
been produced.

3. To produce average good quality of soap bar using basic formulation from palm oil.

3.0 INTRODUCTION AND THEORY

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

Soap is well known among all of us which us as the cleaning,washing, bathing and other
housekeeping purpose. In chemistry, soap is known as a salt of a fatty acid. Basically the
production of soap involved treating vegetable or animal oils and fats with a strong base, such
as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide in an aqueous solution. Fats and oils are composed
of triglycerides; three molecules of fatty acids attach to a single molecule of glycerol. The
alkaline solution, which is often called lye (although the term "lye soap" refers almost
exclusively to soaps made with sodium hydroxide), brings about a chemical reaction known
as saponification.

In this process, the triglyceride fats first hydrolyze into free fatty acids, and then these
combine with the alkali to form crude soap: an amalgam of various soap salts, excess fat or
alkali, water, and liberated glycerol (glycerin). The glycerin, a useful by-product, can remain in
the soap product as a softening agent, or be isolated for other uses

Basically, soaps are sodium, Na or potassium, K salts of long chain fatty acids. When
triglycerides in fat/oil react with aqueous sodium hydroxide, NaOH or potassium hydroxide,
KOH the reaction will produce soap and glycerol at 70 80 oC in a process known as
saponification. The fats are hydrolysed by the base, yielding glycerol, and crude soap. In this
experiment, hot process was used to produce soap. The oils are melted in a water bath at the
temperature of 70 - 80oC until homogeneous.

As the soap has been produced, there are few considerations that must be taken to
measure the average quality of soap. The considerations that must be taken are pH value,
saponification value and moisture content. The pH value is determine the degree of acidity or

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

alkalinity of the soap. The average range for a good soap is around pH 5.5 -7.5. Then,
Saponification value is the number of mg of potassium hydroxide required to saponify 1g of fat,
to neutralise the free fatty acids and the fatty acids combined as glycerides. Next, the final
consideration is the moisture content in a soap. Basically, moisture content is the amount of
water left in the soap after being dried in the oven. The amount of moisture content should be
around 5 7% in order to produce a good quality soap.

4.0 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS (with calculation)

1. Calculations based on SV value

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

1) Amount of RBDPO used: 1000g

SV value : 14.19g NaOH / 100g palm oil

SV value / 1000g : 141.9g NaOH / 1000g oil

SV RBD KOH / 1000g : (190g - 20g KOH) / 1000g oil

2) Amount of NaOH used:

In RBDPO: 95% glycerol, 94.9triglyceride

Triglyceride + 3 NaOH 3 Soap + glycerine

i) 1000g RBDPO x (0.190g KOH /1g oil) x (1g NaOH / 1.4025KOH) = 135.47g NaOH

Ii) 1000g RBDPO x ( 0.209g KOH / 1g oil) x (1g NaOH / 1.4025KOH) = 149g NaOH

So the range is between 135.47g - 149g of NaOH

The amount of NaOH use will be reduced to 95% from 100%. An estimation step is used due to
amount of oil RBDPO might not used or missed in the beaker. 5% is the amount of unreacted oil
with NaOH.

(135.47g NaOH / 100g oil) X 0.95 = 126.7g

(149g NaOH / 1000g oil) X 0.95 = 141.55g

2. Expected Calculations based on mol

(95 glycerol / 100g oil) X (94.9g triglyceride /100g glycerol) X 1000g oil

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

= 901.55 triglyceride/ g oil

901.55g triglycerides/ (844g/mol)= 1.0556 mol

1 mol triglyceride= 3mol NaOH

1.056 mol triglycerides= x mol NaOH

X mol NaOH= 3.167 mol NaOH

Mass = 3.167 mol NaOH X (40 g/ mol)

= 126.67 g NaOH

Saponification value

Blank sample 22.5 ml

1st sample 7.9

2nd sample 7.8

3rd sample 8.2

SV= [(56.1g KOH/mol) X (0.5mol / 1L HCl) X (0.0225L- 0.0082L HCl) ] / 2g oil

0.2 g KOH 1 g NaOH

= 1 g oil x 1.4025 g KOH

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 CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

0.1426 g NaOH
= 1 g oil

14.26 g NaOH
= 100 g oil

1st sample 2nd sample 3rd sample

204.765 206.167 200.5575

Moisture Content

mbm d
moisture content=
mb m

1st try

Mass,g Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Average

Mass of petri dish, 33.92g 34.16g 36.35g 34.81
m
Mass before 43.92g 44.16g 46.35g 44.81g
drying,mb
Mass after 43.23g 43.51g 45.67g 44.14g
drying,md
Moisture content 6.9 % 6.5% 6.8% 6.73%

Sample calculation (sample 1):

43.9243.23
100
43.9233.92

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

= 6.9%

The average moisture content in all three samples is 6.73%.

5.0 DISCUSSIONS

Fats and oils are the principle stored forms of energy in many organisms. They are highly
reduced compounds and are derivatives of fatty acids. Fatty acids are carboxylic acids with

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

hydrocarbon chains of 4 to 36 carbons, they can be saturated or unsaturated. The simplest lipids
constructed from fatty acids are triacylglycerols or triglycerides. Triacylglycerols are composed
of three fatty acids each in ester linkage with a single glycerol. Since the polar hydroxyls of
glycerol and the polar carboxylates of the fatty acids are bound in ester linkages, triacyl glycerols
are non-polar, hydrophobic molecules, which are insoluble in water. Saponification is the
hydrolysis of fats or oils under basic conditions to afford glycerol and the salt of the
corresponding fatty acid. Saponification literally means "soap making". It is important to the
industrial user to know the amount of free fatty acid present, since this determines in large
measure the refining loss. The amount of free fatty acid is estimated by determining the quantity
of alkali that must be added to the fat to render it neutral. This is done by warming a known
amount of the fat with strong aqueous caustic soda solution, which converts the free fatty acid
into soap. This soap is then removed and the amount of fat remaining is then determined. The
loss is estimated by subtracting this amount from the amount of fat originally taken for the test.
[1] In this experiment, the Ph value, moisture content and saponification was recorded.

Ph stands for the potential of hydrogen. The ph scale is a log scale, which means for
every I unit change there is a 10 fold change in the number of hydrogen atoms present. Ph is
determined by the balance between the acid making H+ and alkali forming OH. Combine these
two together and it will get water, which is neutral when pure. The ph value of the soap that we
get is 7. The ph of 7 refer that the acid and the alkali components balance out. Temperature are
important while making soap because it will affect the ph of the soap and rate of reaction
between NaOH and palm oil. The function of NaOH in this experiment is the hydrolyse fats and
form soap. To increase the alkalinity of water, in this process will decrease the charge of
hydroxide anions. For a healthy skin, range for ph value for soap is from 5.5 to 8.0. So, this
experiment is successful because we get the ph of 7 for this soap. [2]

Moisture content is a measure of the amount of water found within a material at any
given time. Moisture content is expressed as the percentage of the mass of the material that is

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

contributed by the mass of contaminated water. [3] High moisture content in soap can lead to
reaction of excess water with unsaponified fat to give the free fatty acidand glycerol in a process
called hydrolysis of soap. Low moisture content means that it is slightly alkaline. After the oven
is opened, the moisture dishes should be covered tightly to avoid the reabsorption of moisture
after drying. Then, the sample must be transferred to dessicator snd weighed it at room
temperature. Thermal decomposition of organic compound and loss of volatile constituent are the
few factors that can cause the weight change during drying method. Based on the result, moisture
content of for sample 1 is 6.9%, sample 2 is 6.5% and sample 3 is 6.8% with the average
moisture content 6.73%. This shows that the soap has good moisture content.

The saponification number is the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide required

to neutralize the fatty acids resulting from the complete hydrolysis of 1g of fat .It gives
information concerning the character of the fatty acids of the fat- the longer the carbon chain, the
less acid is liberated per gram of fat hydrolysed. It is also considered as a measure of the average
molecular weight (or chain length) of all the fatty acids present. The long chain fatty acids found
in fats have low saponification value because they have a relatively fewer number of carboxylic
functional groups per unit mass of the fat and therefore high molecular weight. There are three
samples being measured and the saponification values was different. The smaller the molar mass
of the fat, the higher the saponification value. The saponification value gives an indication of the
nature of the fatty acids constituent of fat and thus, depends on the average molecular weight of
the fatty acids constituent of fat. The greater the molecular weight (the longer the carbon chain),
the smaller the number of fatty acids is liberated per gram of fat hydrolyzed and therefore, the
smaller the saponification number and vice versa.

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

To use the saponification values, multiply the SAP number by the number of grams of
fatty acids, oils and fats. The result will be the same number of units of lye needed to fully
saponify the product. Typically the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) number is used to make bar soap
and the potassium hydroxide (KOH) number is used to make liquid soap. In the experiment, bar
soap was produced thus NaOH was used. Saponification value is important because it helps us to
ensure our final soap is not caustic hot and not overly superfatted. A reliable SAP value for soap
that will need a curing period, cold processed soap is important because after the 2-5 weeks
curing time it can be dishearting to have to rebatch or toss the soap because it is caustic hot.

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

6.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In conclusion, the aims of the experiments were achieved. First, to calculate the weights of
materials to be used in the formation of soap. After doing some calculations based on SV of the
oil, the exactly weight of materials was got in order to make a pH 7 soap. Next, to produce
average quality of soap bar using basic formulation from palm oil. By learning the theory of
saponification process, we know that how to make average quality of soap bar and the materials
needed that involved in this process.

From the experiment, it can be deduced that the pH value of the soap that we get is 7. The
ph 7 refer that the acid and the alkali components balance out. One of the main factor to be
handled carefully is temperature during the experiment because it will affect the ph of the soap
and rate of reaction between NaOH and palm oil. The optimum pH of soap is between a range of
5.5 to 8.0. So, this experiment is fulfil the first objective of making a soap.

Based on the result, moisture content of for sample 1 is 6.9%, sample 2 is 6.5% and
sample 3 is 6.8% with the average moisture content 6.73% which it shows that the soap has good
moisture content. We need a low moisture content which shows it is slightly alkaline. High
moisture content in soap can lead to reaction of excess water with unsaponified fat to give the
free fatty acid and glycerol in a process called hydrolysis of soap. For saponification value, it can
be deduced that the smaller the molar mass of the fat, the higher the saponification value after
three samples being measured.

There are some possible recommendations to enhance the experiment, firstly is pour the
lye solution bit by bit while stirring the palm oil to avoid excess amount of lye that can increase
the pH of soap. Next is the sample must be dried until its acceptable moisture content to avoid
hydrolysis of soap occurred. The crucial part is the calculation of weight of materials used need
to be exactly accurate in order to get average quality soap. Thus, with this some recommendation
hopefully will less the error and enhance the expected result.

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

7.0 REFERENCES

1. https://books.google.com/books?id=LFd-
DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA129&dq=saponification+value+definition&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ah
UKEwjBq4HY_trQAhWINY8KHUKHBRAQ6AEIITAB
2. An Introduction to Practical Biochemistry, third edition by David T Plummer, McGraw-
Hill, c. McGraw-Hill Book Company (U.K.) Ltd., London. 1987.
3. Soap & pH. (n.d.). Retrieved December 02, 2016, from
http://www.thesoapbox.co.nz/soap-ph.htm
4. Http://ljournal.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/d-2016-154.pdf. (2016). doi:10.18411/d-
2016-154

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Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

8.0 APPENDICES

Figure 1: Stir the mixture continuously to make sure the NaOH fully dissolve in mixture
with temperature in range 50oC-70OC

Figure 2: Adding color into the mixture

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CPB30303- Oil and Fat Process Technology
Experiment 4: Lab Scale Soap Production

Figure 3: Continue stir the mixture to make sure the color are fully mix

Figure 4: The product that have been compress by stamping with the logo of MARA

Figure 5: The soap with the ph of 7

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