OPTIMIZATION OF PRODUCTION OF SOAP USING DESERT DATE SEED OIL

The global soap industry's heavy reliance on conventional oils like palm and coconut raises significant environmental concerns, including deforestation and high costs. This study explores the optimization of soap production using desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) seed oil, a sustainable and underutilized resource. Oil was extracted from desert date seeds using Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane, yielding 45.4% of a pale-yellow oil. Physicochemical analysis revealed a high saponification value (173.5 mg KOH/g) and low free fatty acid content (0.44%), confirming the oil's excellent suitability for soap making. The soap production process was optimized via Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on a Central Composite Design (CCD), investigating the effects of temperature (85–90°C), mixing time (15–30 minutes), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration (35–40% w/w) on soap yield. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) identified a significant interactive effect between mixing time and NaOH concentration, with temperature being the most dominant individual factor. The model predicted an optimal soap yield of 66.40% under the conditions of 88.23°C, 25.99 minutes mixing time, and 37.39% NaOH concentration. This study demonstrates that desert date seed oil is a viable, high-quality raw material for soap production. The optimized parameters ensure efficient saponification, providing a framework for developing eco-friendly soap products and promoting the economic utilization of indigenous resources.