The annual worldwide export of shea nut from Africa is 350,000 MT of kernels with a market value of approximately $120 million to producing countries. The multifunctional properties of the shea butter depend strictly on its compositional properties: the peroxide value, moisture content, free fatty acid level and the insoluble impurities.
How is shea nut oil extracted?
The extraction process without any heat treatment. The predetermined amount of hot water. The moisturi zed e the oil. few fuel wood and less waste water are involved. 2007 b; Coulibaly et al ., 2009). The returns do not butter. Figure 4. Flow chart of mechanical extraction of shea nut oil (AbdulMumeen, 2013).
What are shea nuts used for?
Shea nuts are usually processed and used for Shea butter extraction which have wide applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries . It is used as cocoa butter equivalent (CBE) and enhancer in chocolate manufacturing, providing greater stability and extended shelf life [6,9]. … …
How much oil is in a shea nut?
Late collection (following germination), poor drying (resulting in fungal infections), and smoking (instead of boiling and sun-drying) can produce shea nuts with an average oil content of 20¨C25% by weight; less than half that typically expected from the best quality kernel (~ 50% by dry weight).