Bad Things About Emu Oil
Australia's aboriginals have used emu oil for healing and cosmetic purposes for many generations. The hardy emu has several layers of fat that yield an oil with several advantages. These include its deep penetration and its ability to reduce auricular inflammation, as discovered in a study done on mice by the Department of Pathology and Microbiology at the University of Prince Edward Island's Atlantic Veterinary College. It also contains healthy linolenic and andoleic acids. But with the good comes the bad, and the first thing that works against emu oil is the fact that it is not an FDA-approved substance. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Extraction Method
In addition to its lack of FDA approval, emu oil is extracted from layers of fat on the emu bird. Animal activists have been against this practice for a long time; vegetarians also object to the animal-based product itself. The oil is extracted from the back of the bird, where the fat layers are the thickest. The yield is generally five to seven liters. The emu bird lives under harsh conditions and these layers of fat aid its survival. In fact, it is the male emu bird that hatches eggs and this fat is used during that time for the bird's own nourishment.
Unknown Side Effects
Most manufacturers of beauty products that contain animal extracts are able to cite studies showing that those products have no harmful side effects. In the case of emu oil, there are no conclusive studies to indicate a lack of harmful effects. It has not been proven to be harmless to pregnant women and there is no proof that it will not lead to a skin allergy reaction.
No Uniform Quality Control
Emu oil, in its natural form, has a very strong odor. Some companies process the oil to get rid of the odor; others retain it in a mild form. There is no fixed standard of processing and there is no assessment of the possible harm that these varying forms of processing can do to the oil and its properties. Also, despite the great effort that goes into processing and distilling emu oil, it has a very short shelf life.
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