View source for Emu oil

{{short description|Oil derived from emu body fat}}
[[File:Dromaius novaehollandiae dad - Christopher Watson.jpg|alt=An Emu|267px|thumb|An [[emu]], the source of emu oil]]

'''Emu oil''' is an [[oil]] derived from [[body fat]] harvested from certain subspecies of the [[emu]], ''Dromaius novaehollandiae'', a [[flightless bird]] indigenous to [[Australia]].<ref name="aea-emu">{{Cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://aea-emu.org/faq/ |website=American Emu Association}}</ref><ref name="emu_farming">{{cite book |last1=Devantier |first1=Alecia T |url=https://archive.org/details/extraordinaryjob0000deva_c5q6 |title=Extraordinary Jobs in Agriculture and Nature |last2=Carol |first2=Turkington |publisher=Infobase Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-8160-5854-9 |access-date=2011-02-21 |via=[[Archive.org]]}}</ref>

Unadulterated emu oil can vary widely in colour and viscosity anywhere from an off-white creamy texture to a thin yellow liquid, depending on the diet of the emu and the refining method(s) used.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Emu Oil Trade Rule 103: RULE 103 – DEFINITIONS OF GRADES AND QUALITY OF EMU OIL USED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES |url=https://aea-emu.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/emu-oil-trade-rule-103.pdf |website=American Emu Association}}</ref> Industrially refined emu oil is composed of a minimum of 70% unsaturated [[fatty acid]]s. The largest component is [[oleic acid]], a monounsaturated [[omega-9 fatty acid]]. Emu oil also contains roughly 20% [[linoleic acid]] (an [[omega-6 fatty acid]]) and 1–2% [[alpha-Linolenic acid|linolenic acid]] (an [[omega-3 fatty acid]]).<ref name=":0" /> Fully refined emu oil has a bland flavour.<ref name=":0" />

Emu oil has previously been wrongly promoted as a [[dietary supplement]] with the claim it can treat a variety of human ailments, including [[cancer]] and [[arthritis]].<ref name=usda/>

==Research==
Since 2015 two small human studies have been done, one for use as a skin moisturizer and the other for use as an insect repellent.<ref name=Jeengar2015>{{cite journal |vauthors=Jeengar MK, Kumar PS, Thummuri D, Shrivastava S, Guntuku L, Sistla R, Naidu VG |title=Review on emu products for use as complementary and alternative medicine |journal=Nutrition |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=21–7 |date=January 2015 |pmid=25441585 |doi=10.1016/j.nut.2014.04.004 }}</ref>

Commercial emu oil supplements are not standardised and vary widely in their potency.<ref name=whitehouse>{{cite journal |vauthors=Whitehouse MW, Turner AG, Davis CK, Roberts MS |title=Emu oil(s): A source of non-toxic transdermal anti-inflammatory agents in aboriginal medicine |journal=Inflammopharmacology |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=1–8 |year=1998 |pmid=17638122 |doi=10.1007/s10787-998-0001-9 |s2cid=23295481 }}</ref> The [[U.S. Food and Drug Administration]] highlighted emu oils in a 2009 article on "How to Spot Health Fraud", pointing out that many "pure emu oil" products are unapproved drugs.<ref name=usda>{{cite journal |journal=[[U.S. Food and Drug Administration]] | url = https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm137284.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090614054311/http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm137284.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 14, 2009 | title = How to Spot Health Fraud | date = April 30, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | first = Paula | last = Kurtzweil| volume = 33 | issue = 6 | pages = 22–6 | pmid = 10628313 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Snake oil]]
*[[Ostrich oil]]
*[[List of ineffective cancer treatments]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Fats and oils}}

[[Category:Dietary supplements]]
[[Category:Animal fats]]
[[Category:Health fraud]]
[[Category:Emus]]
[[Category:Oils]]
[[Category:Ointments]]