Importance of Genotoxicity Studies on Methyl Ester Sulfonates for Regulatory Compliance
Oleochemicals are derived from natural plants such as palm oil and other vegetable oils. There are five basic oleochemicals, namely fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fatty methyl esters, fatty amines and glycerol (Ong et al., 1989). Palm-based oleochemicals have a diverse range of applications, including as surfactants, personal care products, soaps, detergents and food additives. Surfactants are the largest market segment, alongside personal care and home care products (Grandview Research, 2014). One of the main surfactants is methyl ester sulphonates (MES).