Our company is a leading trusted manufacturer, exporter, and supplier of Shea Nut Oil Extractor Machines. These machines are used to extract oil from both edible and non-edible oil seeds & nuts, including shea nuts.
How is shea butter processed?
Shea butter processing is a seasonal affair. Fruiting and gathering of shea nuts occur between May and August each year. In this stage, shea nuts are processed into kernel form. Both raw and ripe fruits are green but ripe fruit is occasionally yellowish and soft when felt.
What is a shea nut kernel?
The kernel is the oil-bearing material that can be obtained by processing the shea nut fruit. The fruit primarily undergoes several processes – de-pulping, boiling, drying, deshelling, winnowing and sorting – to obtain the kernel from which the shea butter is extracted. Mechanical processing technology
What is the mechanical press method of shea butter extraction?
The mechanical press method of shea butter extraction has been reported by FAO and CFC (2002) but one of the earliest research on the use of the mechanical press was by Marchand (1988). His research revealed that equipped with a jack that exerts 30 tonnes of force, a shea butter press could crush more than 3 kg of shea kernels within 20 minutes.
What is shea butter used for?
Shea butter is used as an edible oil and as an antimicrobial in pharmaceutical applications and as moisturizer in cosmetic industries. Because of its high nutritive value and low cholesterol levels, shea butter is an excellent alternative to table oil. Conventionally, shea butter is widely used in the treatment for ailments such as leprosy.
What are the 4 layers of a shea nut?
The fruit is composed of four layers – the epicarp, mesocarp, shell and the kernel. The epicarp together with the mesocarp is called the pulp; the shell and the kernel compose the nut. The kernel is the oil-bearing material that can be obtained by processing the shea nut fruit.