Nutritional Composition of Shea Products and Chemical Properties of Shea Butter: A Review

Abstract

Increasing demand of shea products (kernels and butter) has led to the assessment of the state-of-the-art of these products. In this review, attention has been focused on macronutrients and micronutrients of pulp, kernels, and butter of shea tree and also the physicochemical properties of shea butter. Surveying the literature revealed that the pulp is rich in vitamin C (196.1 mg/100 g); consumption of 50 g covers 332% and 98% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of children (4-8 years old) and pregnant women, respectively. The kernels contain a high level of fat (17.4-59.1 g/100 g dry weight). Fat extraction is mainly done by traditional methods that involve roasting and pressing of the kernels, churning the obtained liquid with water, boiling, sieving, and cooling. The fat (butter) is used in food preparation and medicinal and cosmetics industries. Its biochemical properties indicate some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Large variations are observed in the reported values for the composition of shea products. Recommendations for future research are presented to improve the quality and the shelf-life of the butter. In addition, more attention should be given to the accuracy and precision in experimental analyses to obtain more reliable information about biological variation.

Cooking and drying process optimisation of shea (Butyrospermum parkii) butter extraction

“…Similarly, the extraction method used in the experimentation was chosen in order to avoid any possible influence of the temperature required in the Soxhlet extraction method. All the values obtained (7.2-25.9%) were lower than (31.32 ± 1.04%) obtained by the Soxhlet method but were included in the range reported by Honfo et al (2014). The chosen extraction method was reported to yield low values as compared to the Soxhlet method (Stanisavljevic et al 2006).…”

“…It is well known for its multiple uses in cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of shea butter were also reported (UNDP-WATH 2010; Honfo et al 2014).…”

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever”. Plants and plant-based preparations for facial care in Suriname

“…These substances are widely used for skinand hair-related products such as soaps, skin moisturizers, sunscreens, lip balms, anti-wrinkle formulations, anti-stretch mark creams, hair conditioners, baby oils, and ointments against skin inflammation [50][51][52]. They are also, together with the leaf juice from A. indica and/or P. amboinicus, common constituents of facial masks.…”

The Use of Shea Butter in the Production of Fried Plantain (Musa AAB) Chips and Its Effect on the Product’s Quality Attributes

“…Shea butter is usually processed from the seed of shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa Gaertn) and its utilization cuts across both food and non-food applications. The food applications include its usage as primary cooking fat in some rural areas of African savanna zone (Honfo et al, 2014), baking fat and as margarine in confectionery and chocolate industry in Europe and Asia (Akhter et al, 2008). Some communities in the northern part of Oyo State, Nigeria, are reputed for using shea butter in the preparation of their household vegetable soups.…”

“…Some communities in the northern part of Oyo State, Nigeria, are reputed for using shea butter in the preparation of their household vegetable soups. The non-food applications of shea butter include its use as illuminant in rural areas of African savanna zone (Honfo et al, 2014), in soap making, cosmetics and traditional medicine Okullo et al, 2004). The high demand of shea butter by international cosmetic industries has been attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties due to its high concentration of unsaponifiable compounds such as triterpenes, tocopherol, phenols, and sterols (Alander, 2004;Maranz and Wiesman, 2004).…”