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These facts are reprinted from "Facts for the Health Conscious Consumer About Emu Oil" brochures from the American Emu Association.

For health conscious consumers, Emu Oil is THE Natural Alternative to many over-the-counter products.

What is emu oil and where does it come from?
Emu oil is a natural,omega rich oil refined from the fat, a food co-product obtained when the bird is processed for its lean red meat.

What are the Emu Oil Trade Rules?
The Emu Oil Trade Rules outline a grading system for emu oil. It recognizes Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C. Each of these grades has a use in various industries. Grade A is used for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and dietary supplements. Grade B is used in some cometic and industrial applications. Grade C is crude emu oil and suitable for use in hot process soaps or animal feed.

Who created the Emu Oil Trade Rules and why?
In the early years of the emu industry, some people were melting emu fat on their stove tops, running the oil through coffee filters and calling it refined. Naturally this impure product went rancid very quickly. In 1997, the American Emu Association Oil Standards Committee created the International Emu Oil Guildlines, the predecessor of the Emu Oil Trade Rules, in an effort to bring safety and consistency to the products being produced. In 2000, this committee requested guidance from members of the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) and with their assistance established specifications for three grades of emu oil. These grades are reviewed and updated each year. As technology advances, requirements for these grades change.

Where does AEA (American Emu Association) Certified Fully Refined Emu Oil fit into the Emu Oil Trade Rules?
All emu oil refiners pull samples for in-house analysis to determine oil grade. AEA Certified Fully Refined Emu Oil is Garde A emu oil in which the sample is sent to an American Oil Chemist Society (AOCS) chemist for an independent analysis. The results of that analysis are registered with the American Emu Association. The AEA Certified Fully Refined seal is the consummers' reassurance that a third party tested the oil for purity.

What about pharmaceutical or cosmetic grades?
Thses are in-house grading terms used by some product companies. Since the criteria for in-house grading systems may vary from company to company despite their use of similar terms, the consumer should request more information from the company to determine if the oil is safe for the intended use.

Isn't emu oil greasy?
No. Emu oil is a superior skin moisturizer. It is absorbed into the skin quickly and there should be no residue left behind.

But since it is oil, won't it clog my pores?
NO, not emu oil. The Department of Dermatology, at University of Texas Medical School, showed that emu oil in concentrations of up to 100% is non-comedogenic (will not clog pores). This is one reason it is so popular in cosmetic applications.

I heard that emu oil has anti-inflammatory properties. What does this mean and how does it affect me?
When inflammations is reduced, pressure is relieved and there is relief from pain. In some cases, wounds heal quicker. In research conducted by Dr. Robert Nicolosi, Director of the Center for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention at the University of Mass., it was conducted that topically applied emu oil has anti-inflammatory properties. Antagonism of croton oil inflammation by topical emu oil in CD-1 mice was published in Lipids. June, 2003

I heard that emu oil has "transdermal properties". What is that and how does it affect me?
This means that emu oil transports products quickly through the skin, getting ingredients to the source of the problem, allowing over-the-counter (OTC) and cosmetic products to work better. Many products contain phospholipids, which make aborption more difficult. Absence of phospholipids makes emu oil highly penetrating and allows it to absorb through the skin more easily. Studies by Dr. Robert Nicolosi, Director of The Center for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention, University of Mass., suggest that the delivery of nutrient properties directly into the blood stream might be greater with emu oil than other oils currently being utilized daily within hundreds of current over-the-counter remedies.

Does emu oil really lower cholesterol?
AEA sponsored research at the University of Massachusetts revealed that emu oil not only lowered LDL (bad cholesterol), it raised HDL (good cholesterol) in hamsters.Comparative Effects of emu and olive oil on aortic early atherosclerosis and associated risk factors in hypercholesteroiemic hamsters - Wilson, T.A.; Nicolosi, R.J.; Handelman, G.; Yoganathan S.; Kotyla, T.; Orthoefer, F.; Binford, P.; was published in Nutrition Research 24 (2004) 395-406.

What is the shelf life of emu oil?
It depends on the grade of the oil. Crude emu oil will become rancid very quickly outside of refrigeration. Grade A emu oil is gererally considered to have a shelf life of 1 to 1½ years, depending on storage conditions. Shelf life can be extended with a preservative such as Vitamin E or with refrigeration.

 

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