
Insect oil surfactant launched
14th October 2025
Submitted by:
Andrew Warmington
Sasol International Chemical has launched and commercialised the first nonionic surfactant based on insect oils, a by-product of a process to make more sustainable proteins for animal feed. Livnex IO 7 is described as bio-circular, palm- and deforestation-free, with applications in the fabric, home care and industrial and institutional cleaning markets.
The oils obtained from black soldier fly larvae and are rich in the fatty acids used to produce detergent-grade alcohols. The chemistry is identical to that of vegetable oil, enabling it to be used as is a drop-in replacement for conventional C12-14-based chemistry, without any need to reformulate the products.