White Mineral Oil

What Is White Mineral Oil?

White mineral oil, also known as white oil, is a highly refined mineral oil that is the cornerstone of many specialty applications requiring unmatched purity, neutrality, and safety.

White mineral oil consists primarily of cycloparaffins and straight- and branched-chain hydrocarbons. Carbon distribution varies depending on an oil's viscosity, but all white oil products are known to have very few aromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur, and other impurities, typically measured in parts per million (PPM). They are also stable, neutral, odorless, colorless, and tasteless. In fact, from the refining process to how it is handled, transported, and packaged, it's not surprising that white oil is approved for direct food contact applications.

Photo of a woman applying a skincare product to her hand

Do All Mineral Oils Qualify As White Mineral Oil?

	White Mineral Oil	Mineral Oil / Group II Base Oil
Purity	Ultra-pure (99%+ saturated hydrocarbons)	May contain impurities (sulfur, aromatics)
Color/Clarity	Colorless, transparent, water-white	Yellowish color bodies
Applications	Cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food-grade uses	Industrial lubricants, household products
Safety	Low toxicity, FDA-approved grades	Higher toxicity risk
Cost	Higher due to advanced refining and handling	Lower cost

Many manufacturers refine, process, and handle their mineral oils with extreme care, but what constitutes white mineral oil is defined by law.

21 CFR 172.878, in the Code of Federal Regulations, sets strict guidelines for what qualifies as white mineral oil, along with the approved food-related applications for the oil.

Each application listed in the regulation has its use case and dosage limitations. They can vary wildly and be open to interpretation, but the regulation clearly defines what makes an oil a white mineral oil. Here are some of the requirements:

Meets the test requirements of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) XX (1980) for readily carbonizable substances
Meets the test requirements of USP XVII for sulfur compounds
Used in accordance with 21 CFR 172.878(c)

Full compliance with the regulation requires that manufacturers produce a high-quality product, take every measure to diligently handle the product to ensure no loss in quality or introduction of impurities, and test and verify that their product meets or exceeds the guidelines outlined in 21 CFR 172.878.

Now you know why many refer to these oils as the refiner's jewels.

How Is White Mineral Oil Used?

The regulation that defines white mineral oil is primarily concerned with food-grade applications, but broader applications extend beyond food.

Many industries recognize the quality, safety, and performance of these oils and choose them for their applications and formulations. The homogenous carbon distribution and absence of impurities ensure stability and consistent results, while lower-grade oils may show significantly reduced performance across various temperature ranges.

Here are some industries and applications that depend on white oil:

Pharmaceuticals: As a processing aid and lubricant in sterile environments.
Cosmetics: As a carrier oil in skincare and makeup products.
Food Processing: For machinery lubrication and equipment protection.
Medical Devices: Lubrication for surgical tools and diagnostic equipment.
Industrial Applications: High-performance lubrication in precision machinery.

Why Choose Our Oils?

Our MaxPar^® NF/USP white mineral oils offer exceptional quality and performance to a wide array of applications, but our customers worldwide count on more than just the quality of our products. They recognize our commitment to excellence in producing, handling, and packaging our white oil products according to the highest industry standards, like FSMA, FSSC 22000, and ISO 9001. We have been at the forefront of many of these certifications and will always strive to ensure that our customers can rest easy knowing we do not cut corners to save a few bucks.

We also maintain FDA Bulk Drug Registration for our MaxPar^® NF/USP products, which is essential for pharmaceutical applications and formulations.

Beyond the quality of our products, we believe Resolute Oil stands out in a field of competitors for several reasons:

Global Trust: Used by industry-leading formulators and manufacturers.
Custom Solutions: Tailor our oils to meet your unique project requirements.
Unrivaled Support: Expert assistance for technical inquiries and stellar customer service.

Are We the Right Fit for Your Application?

We know you need every data point to make a decision, which is why we publish technical data for all of our products on our website.

Check out our MaxPar NF/USP products for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, or other similar applications. Consider our MaxPar TW technical mineral oil products if your application demands a stable and precise mineral oil without as many regulatory requirements.

If you need help choosing a product or want to order a sample, don't hesitate to contact us. Put our stellar customer service to the test!