Abstract
Shea nuts (Vitellaria paradoxa) were cracked and sorted. Fluted pumpkin seeds (Telfairia occidentalis Hook) were dehulled and washed. The Shea kernel and Telfairia cotyledons were oven dried (60°C, 24h) separately in a hot air oven, milled into flour and oil extracted. Crude palm oil extracted from the palm fruit was used as control. The oil samples were analyzed for chemical composition, physical properties, and fatty acid profile. Shea nut oil (Shea butter) gave 58.00% ether extract, 0.88% free fatty acids, 1.7mgKOH/g acid value, 1.03mEqO2/kg peroxide value, 70.00g/100g iodine value, 227.94mgKOH/g saponification value, 0.95% Unsaponifiable matter, and 226.17mgKOH/g ester value. Fluted pumpkin seed oil gave 52.60% ether extract, 0.71% free fatty acids, 1.41mgKOH/g acid value, 1.17mEqO2/kg peroxide value, 119.67g/100g iodine value, 179.04mgKOH/g saponification value, 0.57% Unsaponifiable matter, and 177.63mgKOH/g ester value. The iodine value of Shea butter and Telfairia seed oil were significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the control which gave 57.33g/100g iodine value. Shea butter also gave 1.461 refractive index, 0.927g/ml density, 36.57°C slip melting point, 211.00°C smoke point, 83.92cSt kinematic viscosity, and 4red and 20yellow lovibond colour. Fluted pumpkin seed oil gave 1.463 refractive index, 0.903g/ml density, 18.60°C slip melting point, 244.50°C smoke point, 34.98cSt kinematic viscosity, and 5red and 20yellow lovibond colour. Shea butter gave 50.6% total saturated fatty acids, and 49.1% total unsaturated fatty acids, with stearic (45.8%) and oleic (42.5%) as the predominant saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids respectively. Fluted pumpkin seed oil gave 18.4% total saturated fatty acids, and 80.2% total unsaturated fatty acids, with palmitic (17.5%) and linoleic (62.4%) as the predominant saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids respectively. Shea butter, with a melting point of 36.57°C will provide a good solid base for bakery fat production, while Telfairia seed oil with iodine value of 119.33(g/100g) will provide healthy fatty acids and the needed plasticity. A blend of Shea butter and fluted pumpkin seed oil in bakery fat production has potential to improve the nutritional and functional properties of the end products.
Highlights
IntroductionShea butter is obtained from the nuts of Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), which exist in the wild in most parts of Africa [1]
Shea butter and Fluted Pumpkin seeds are good sources of fats and oil
The fluted pumpkin seed oil gave an ether extract yield of 52.60 (%), this value was slightly lower than 54% earlier reported [15] but higher than 46.37% and 46.2% reported [16], [17]
Summary
Shea butter is obtained from the nuts of Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), which exist in the wild in most parts of Africa [1]. It is a native of the dry Savanna belt of West Africa [2], where it grows wild across a 5000km wide belt of Savanna [3], inhabiting West African Countries of Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and further east into Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia [4]. Shea butter is solid at room temperature, edible and used in food preparation in Africa [5]. It is commonly used as a domestic frying and cooking oil, and in the industries for cosmetics and medicinal purposes. There are no report of allergic reaction owing to consumption of Shea butter or its products [6]
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