How to preserve aloe vera?

20 years ago

How can aloe vera be processed and preserved for use as a skin cream? Something you could put in a tub, keep in the fridge, and slather on when needed.

I know that it should not be heated, because that destroys some of the active ingredients. I think some of the commercial brands use vitamin C: how would this be done at home?

I wonder if it could be pickled. I have some recipes for pickling vegetables using lacto-fermentation (whey, actually). This is a very old (pre-vinegar) system that is said to boost the nutritional content of the vegetables--although I wouldn't be eating it, just applying it to the skin.

Has anyone tried to do this at home?

Comments (13)

Daisyduckworth
20 years ago
I can't really answer your question. If you live in Brisbane, you should have no trouble keeping aloe vera in the garden all year round. I find the gel is best used fresh. Even with refrigeration, leaves will only store for about a week - and they leak! You could try freezing the gel, say in ice-cube trays. I think the gel works best on its own, not mixed into creams and lotions etc. (It's often used for burns, and it's not recommended to use creams, fats etc on burns.) You can crush a vitamin C tablet (not the chewable ones) and add it to creams and lotions as a preservative, or you can use benzoin oil, but even so, storage time is still only about 3 months max. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
The_Passenger
20 years ago
I have been hearing grumblings that aloe's good properties might be only good fresh...but that could just be an unpleasant rumor...
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Jitai
20 years ago
If it's hard to keep it living in the garden, you might try getting a small potted variety and keeping that in the warmth of indoors where it should last year round...
Traute_Biogardener
19 years ago
Aloe vera is meant to be use straight rather than in diluted form in a cream. If you need to preserve it, freezing works fine. BTW, you can use the stems of comfrey on your skin in the same way with the same effect, and they are best used after freezing because it releases the gooey substance. I found this out by fluke when I had no aloe vera and noticed that the goo of the comfrey stems feels the same way.
Hapslappy
19 years ago
I've read that Rosemary is a natural food preservative. I don't know this for fact, but maybe it's worth checking out. Shannon
fuglawhita
19 years ago
Aloe is very easy to keep, and attractive as a house plant. You can propagate it from leaf cuttings.
apollog
15 years ago
>> You are wise to use Aloe Vera. This plant is mentioned in the Bible five times ...

No, the aloes mentioned in the Bible are not Aloe vera - it is aloes wood, which comes from the heartwood of certain tropical trees. Other names for the resin mentioned in the Bible include Oud, agarwood and eaglewood. This type of aloes is very different from aloe vera - it is similar to sandalwood in many ways, and the Bible mentions it as a perfume ... Aloe vera has little value as a perfume, while agarwood/oud/aloes is a very notable perfume.

Aloe vera is great for skin conditions, no doubt. It doesn't matter if the shepherds that lived in the Middle East thousands of years ago knew about Aloe vera or not - if it helps with a skin condition, then it helps with a skin condition.

Christians rarely use the type of aloe mentioned in the Bible, although it is still used in Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism as a perfume or incense.
simplemary
15 years ago
Try processing & preserving aloe this way: Put the entire leaf in the food processor & whizz away. Then slip the gooey gunk into a mason jar & put in the refrigerator. After a few days, the components will separate & the juice can be glopped off (really professional terms here, I know). To each cup of this add EITHER of the following: 1/4 c high proof vodka/everclear (keeps almost a year) OR potassium sorbate (you'd have to look up the % ; I don't remember right off)(will keep it 6 mos-1 yr) OR 1-2 tsp. Lavender EO (will only keep it a few months). Rosemary EXTRACT can be used to preserve OILs, but doesn't really do much for the water side of any equation. Hope this helps
luckygal
15 years ago
When I grew aloes as house plants (had many) I sometimes cut an entire leaf and kept it in the frig for a couple of days. I think for maximum therapeutic value it's best to cut a fresh piece each time tho. There are few really good natural preservatives and growing bacteria and applying it to one's skin is not therapeutic.
mackayah
14 years ago
I work in a resturant, and obviously with a hot grill and grease, people get burned. I have a large aloe plant at my house and thought it would be nice to have some ready for a burn. I don't know if this will keep or not, but i cut open the aloe leaf and scraped the inside of it with a butter knife into about a 2 oz jar. This is a test I suppose, if anyone knows if this will keep or not, please let me know. thanks.
adam
curestoenailfungus
13 years ago
I love making aloevera juice. The juice was very tasty and fresh.
matthiaswh
13 years ago
Any time one of the leaves on my Aloe starts to suffer, I'll clip it and keep it in a baggie in the freezer. Works great.
srent_brain_net_pk
13 years ago
hello
how to pack and preserve aloe vera comercialy?

How to preserve aloe vera?

Comments (13)

Daisyduckworth

The_Passenger

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