Vitellaria paradoxa fruit pulp bioethanol production potential: A review

Abstract

In the last decade, bioethanol has become a powerful biofuel for the improvement of environmental pollution such as reduction in greenhouse gas levels. Yet, the source and type of substrate material plays a crucial role in the bioethanol production process due to the different compositional characteristics and availability of monomeric sugars. Different substrates of first, second and third generation fuel sources exist and may be used as reliable and sustainable substrates for bioethanol generation. The current review provides an overview of Vitellaria fruit pulp; its composition and characteristics for ethanol production. This study has examined literature on the background of the Vitellaria paradoxa, the characteristics and the potential of the shea nut pulp for fermentation to bioethanol. This review will be useful in harnessing the potentials of the shea pulp as industrially relevant substrate for use independently or in combination with other substrates in microbial fermentation processes for ethanol production.

Wet torrefaction of shea nut chaff to improve its fuel properties

“…Shea nut survives in areas with 400‐ to 800‐mm yearly rainfall across the African continent and grows naturally from West Africa through to East Africa to the Ethiopian highlands, 8 while Nigeria and Ghana have large acreages of the shea nut tree. Although shea nut fruit is used in the food industry, soap making, and health care, obtaining accurate production data for shea nut fruit is challenging.…”

“…6 Phuang et al studied WT of yard waste to improve its properties as an energy resource with reaction temperature and the water-to-biomass (W/B) ratio between 180 and 220 C and 10:1-30:1 respectively and showed that energy yields were in the range of 63.9%-74.4%. 7 Shea nut survives in areas with 400-to 800-mm yearly rainfall across the African continent and grows naturally from West Africa through to East Africa to the Ethiopian highlands, 8 while Nigeria and Ghana have large acreages of the shea nut tree. Although shea nut fruit is used in the food industry, soap making, and health care, obtaining accurate production data for shea nut fruit is challenging.…”