West Africa shea butter information
Burkina Faso is the first producer in Africa of shea almonds and shea butter.
The nuts crop season is from April to October
The shea butter production with the last crop nuts is from May to next March
We produce and deliver all year long but the best period for prices is from May to October because profusion of raw material. That's why we ask our customers to plan deliveries for all the year; we can then purchase and store shea nuts when the prices are the the best.
The unrefined shea butter
Pure virgin raw shea butter produced with traditional methods without any chemical treatment
Traditional shea butter processing method
- the nuts are sorted
- the nuts are hand washed
- the nuts are sun-dried
- the nuts are pounded with traditional wood pestles or a breaker
- the crushed nuts are roasted in large metal pots
- the roasted almonds are processed in a grinder to produce a brownish paste
- the brownish paste is processed again between two granite stones
- the brownish paste is then hand mixed and kneaded during many hours with addition of a small quantity of water. This produces a white/off-white thick foamy substance to obtain finally a whitish paste, the shea butter (This is the churning step we call ''barattage'')
or
- in some places the brownish paste is pressed/crushed with a machine
- the shea butter is added with some water in cauldrons and heated: the impurities fall down (This is purification step)
- the purified shea butter is decanted and filtered when poured in the clean storage metal drums (This is filtration step)
No chemicals or detergents use during all the processing
Specifications
These are average specifications; they can change slighly depending the season and the batch. The customers can manage their own analysis with a sample of the shea butter.
No mineral oils or any chemical in the shea butter
| Fatty acid composition (in %) : |
Norms |
| C16:0 palmitic |
4.0 - 8.0 |
| C18:0 stearic |
36.0 - 50.0 |
| C18:1 oleic |
40.0 - 50.0 |
| C18:2 linoleic |
4.0 - 8.0 |
Insaponifiable matter 5% Min
Impurities: less than 2
| Characteristics |
Methods |
Norms |
| 5 1/4 Inch cell lovibond |
NEN 6310 - NEN 6308 |
- |
| Density at 40°C |
PEE 2002 2.2.5 |
0.900 - 0.930 g/cm3 |
| Acid value |
PEE 2002 2.5.1 |
Less than 2% * |
| Iodine value |
PEE 2002 2.5.4 |
58
- 72 |
| Refractive index (N40D) |
PEE 2002 2.2.2 |
1.460 - 1.470 |
| Peroxide value |
PEE 2002 2.5.5 |
Max. 3.0 méq O2/kg |
| Moisture value |
AOCS CA 2E-84 |
Max. 2% |
| Slip point |
|
30°C - 42°C |
* depends of the season; Maximum: 4-5%
Colour of raw virgin shea butter.
Depending the season, the shea nuts
origin and the roasting the color can change. Above three colours for same quality raw
virgin shea butter.
Other Ewst Africa shea butter
We export also refined deodorized shea butter and organic
certified shea butter. Consult us.
Packing examples
190 kg (418 lbs) net metal drums
25 kg (55 lbs) plastic cans
Packing in 180 or 190 kg (418 lbs) net metal drums or as buyer requirement.
Metal drums are useful because many importers use electric pallets to heat the drums before to empty them.
Other packaging available upon request or for airway deliveries
Conditions
Consult the exporters
Samples
Consult the exporters |
