neutralization number

The term "neutralization number" refers to a measurement indicating a substance's acidity or alkalinity. It's determined by the amount of acid or alkali needed to neutralize it. Specifically, for oils, it's the weight in milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to neutralize the acid in one gram of the oil.1

Neutralization itself is a type of acid-base reaction. When an acid and a base react, they can cancel each other out. For instance, a strong acid and a strong base in water react to form water. If a weak acid reacts with a weak base, a direct proton transfer occurs from the acid to the base. The resulting solution can be acidic, basic, or neutral, depending on the strengths of the original acid and base.23