How Sasol International Chemicals’ Latest Innovation Transforms Eco-Friendly Cleaning
Interview with Louis Snyders
Vice President of Care Chemicals, Sasol International Chemicals
At the 2025 SEPAWA Congress you have launched a new drop-in replacement- LIVINEX IO 7 for traditional oleochemicals. LIVINEX IO 7 is described as the first nonionic surfactant derived from insect oil for the fabric, home care and institutional cleaning markets. Can you explain the technological innovation behind converting insect oil into detergent-grade alcohols and how this differs from conventional oleochemical routes?
Developed from insect-farmed natural oils and circular feedstocks, LIVINEX IO 7 delivers a sustainable solution for modern chemical needs – balancing innovation, performance and environmental stewardship.
This new product draws upon the largely untapped potential of insect farming, utilizing low-value or waste streams to generate high-value products. This sustainable detergent surfactant is based on oil obtained from black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) - an oil rich in mid-chain fatty acids used to manufacture detergent-grade fatty alcohols. BSFL oil, which exhibits a composition similar to palm kernel (PKO) and coconut oil (CNO), is a by-product of a process to make proteins and transforms organic waste and low-value streams into valuable chemical feedstock.
Unlike traditional natural oil sources such as PKO or CNO, the production of BSFL oil does not require large-scale plantations. The larvae can be bred in stacked compartments in buildings, resulting in a much higher yield of oil per area compared to conventional vegetable oils (e.g. PKO or CNO) and an avoidance of significant land use changes or competition with food crops.
Given BSFL oil chemistry is identical to that of vegetable oil, mature technology and existing processes can be used for the production of LIVINEX IO 7, resulting in no new production units/facilities and associated emissions.
LIVINEX IO 7 leverages an established ethoxylation process, enabling a straightforward calculation of its Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) and is engineered as a drop-in replacement for conventional C12-14-based chemistry. This means that, unlike other natural products, biosurfactants or amino acid-based surfactants (which require time-consuming and resource-intensive full reformulation of cleaning products), LIVINEX IO 7 can be seamlessly integrated into existing product formulations, offering a straightforward and effective transition to more eco-friendly cleaning solutions.
What key challenges did your R&D teams face in adapting existing processes for insect oil chemistry?
Launching any new technology requires thorough supply chain planning, and bringing LIVINEX IO 7 to market was no exception. In this journey, we collaborated across a range of industries—many outside the typical scope—which proved essential in transforming the concept into a commercial product. One major challenge was establishing a common language and understanding among partners from diverse sectors. Aligning goals and clearly defining requirements ensured everyone was working toward the same outcome.
Another significant hurdle was identifying suitable small-scale units for pilot and demonstration phases, which required innovative approaches and persistent effort. Robust partnerships and a strong focus on research and development helped us overcome these obstacles, ultimately leading to the successful introduction of LIVINEX IO 7.
Does the identical fatty acid profile of insect oil to vegetable oil allow full compatibility with current production infrastructure?
Because the chemistry of insect oil closely matches that of vegetable oil, established technologies and existing production processes can be used without significant new investment. This minimizes the need for major infrastructure changes to convert the oil into surfactants and eliminates concerns about land use changes or competition with food crops. Insect oil can be easily integrated into current product formulations, providing a straightforward and effective path to more sustainable cleaning solutions.
How do you ensure consistent quality and supply of insect oil feedstock for large-scale surfactant production?
Ensuring consistent quality in the supply of insect oil feedstock for large-scale surfactant production involves a combination of strategic measures and strong supplier partnerships. Since insect oil is a natural feedstock, slight variations can occur between batches, often influenced by factors such as the composition of the organic matter the larvae are fed.
Reliable relationships with suppliers and partners promote the adoption of best practices and enable quick responses to any challenges within the supply chain. Ongoing collaboration helps sustain effective processes and keeps practices up to date.
This approach allows manufacturers to effectively ensure that the insect oil used for producing products such as LIVINEX IO 7 meets rigorous quality standards, despite the inherent variability of natural feedstocks.
LIVINEX IO 7 is positioned as a drop-in replacement for conventional C12–C14-based chemistry, requiring no reformulation. What performance benchmarks have been validated to demonstrate parity — or even improvements — in cleaning, emulsification, or foaming behavior?
LIVINEX IO 7 was compared against conventional PKO-based seven mole ethoxylates and appears to have identical product characteristics like product viscosity, density and surface activity which allows easy handling of current product formulations. Application testing also proved that an easy substitution of PKO-based materials is possible due to the identical performance in various application parameters like foaming, wetting, detergency, etc.
Have you tested the product across different detergent bases (e.g., anionic/nonionic blends) and formulation environments?
We characterize our offerings at the product level to ensure our customers have all the information they need for use in their formulations. To demonstrate product performance, we use fundamental benchmark formulations for our application testing, allowing us to showcase how our materials compare to conventional options. LIVINEX IO 7 is designed to mimic the currently used seven mole ethoxylate based on natural mid-cut alcohol. Apart from a reduced product carbon footprint, it does not exhibit any major deviations in performance or properties. By providing this detailed know-how, we enable our customers to confidently incorporate LIVINEX IO 7 into their formulations, with a clear understanding of its benefits and equivalence to existing materials.
How does its stability profile compare under varying pH, temperature or water hardness conditions?
LIVINEX IO 7 matches the stability profile of conventional vegetable oil-based products and has not shown any deficiencies in this regard. Its performance under stability testing is on par with established vegetable oil products, providing confidence in its reliability and quality.
The product is being launched now first in Europe with an emphasis on home, fabric and institutional cleaning. Why Europe?
We are introducing this new product in Europe primarily to leverage regional sourcing and local manufacturing. By producing and sourcing close to our customer base, we can ensure a reliable supply, streamline our supply chains and minimize environmental impact through reduced long-distance transportation. This approach enables us to serve our existing customers more efficiently while supporting our broader sustainability objectives.
In addition, there is a strong demand in Europe for deforestation-free products, especially considering the upcoming implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Are you collaborating with key European customers or pilot partners to co-develop applications?
We are collaborating closely with stakeholders across the entire value chain to advance the development of this class of products and their related applications.
Does Sasol plan to pursue third-party sustainability certifications or eco-label approvals (such as Ecocert, EU Ecolabel, or RSPO alternatives) to validate these claims?
We recognize the increasing importance of transparency and accountability in sustainability, both for consumers and industry partners, and plan to pursue third-party sustainability certifications as part of our strategy to further validate the environmental credentials of our products. Pursuing recognized certifications not only reinforces trust with customers, retailers and regulators but also supports broader market adoption by addressing growing expectations for independent verification.
Do you foresee any regulatory hurdles in positioning insect-derived surfactants as mainstream sustainable ingredients in household cleaning markets?
Integrating insect oil into our feedstock portfolio required close collaboration between our suppliers and ourselves, effectively bridging the chemical and agricultural industries. Throughout the commercialization process of LIVINEX IO 7, we took a proactive approach with our partners to thoroughly navigate, address and harmonize all regulatory requirements across both sectors. By prioritizing compliance from the outset, we were able to anticipate and overcome potential hurdles, ensuring a seamless and successful launch.
Our comprehensive efforts have enabled LIVINEX IO 7 to meet all necessary standards, reassuring both regulators and customers. Moving forward, we expect this strong foundation to support ongoing growth, broader market acceptance and continued innovation within the space. Our commitment to maintaining compliance and staying ahead of evolving regulations remains a key pillar of our market strategy.
Do you plan to expand the insect-oil-based platform into personal care applications?
Empowered by our extensive expertise in analytical, surfactant and physical property characterization—as well as advanced processing and application techniques—this innovation creates new opportunities for our team to develop products across diverse applications, including personal care. While there may be heightened emotional barriers, particularly in Western markets, to products applied directly to the body, we are confident that the proven sustainability benefits will prevail as consumers increasingly prioritize environmentally responsible solutions.
It is worth noting that surfactants produced from tallow fat have been widely accepted for decades, highlighting a precedent for consumer adaptation to alternative feedstocks when clear benefits exist. We anticipate that, with thoughtful communication and transparent product stewardship, consumer acceptance of insect-derived ingredients will grow quickly, especially as environmental awareness continues to rise.
Our intent is to introduce an insect oil-based product into the personal care market by the end of 2026. This launch will be supported by scientific rigor, a strong sustainability profile and our commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safety and effectiveness. We believe this approach not only addresses potential concerns but also establishes a new benchmark for innovation and responsibility in personal care.
How do these technologies complement each other from a formulation and sustainability standpoint? Are there plans to develop synergistic blends or next-generation biosurfactant systems targeting specific market performance gaps?
Sasol’s recent innovations reflect our strategic commitment to expanding sustainable solutions for both the personal and home care markets. In 2023, we launched two biosurfactant brands—LIVINEX, serving fabric and home care applications, and CARINEX, targeting personal care—positioning Sasol at the forefront of environmentally responsible product development. Initially, both brands offered sophorolipids, available in either lactonic or acidic forms, leveraging their biodegradable and eco-friendly properties.
Building on this foundation, we introduced NACOL 18-98—an advanced, palm-free, biobased stearyl alcohol designed specifically for the personal care and cosmetics industry. This product addressed growing demand for palm-free renewable solutions and represents another step toward circularity in ingredient sourcing.
The launch of LIVINEX IO 7 marks the next milestone in Sasol’s sustainability journey. This innovation further diversifies our portfolio, providing the market with a bio-circular, palm and deforestation free surfactant that aligns with the latest trends in biodegradability, simplicity and transparency. Our focus remains on developing solutions that balance performance with minimal environmental impact, anticipating the needs of both industry and increasingly informed, environmentally conscious consumers.
Together, these developments reinforce Sasol’s leadership in sustainable chemistry, demonstrating a proactive approach to evolving global standards and consumer preferences in the fabric, home care and personal care sectors.
