What is Shea Butter?

Where Does It Come From?

y Native to Africa in a 3,500 mile-wide dry-land zone

south of the Sahara desert and north of the tropical

rainforest

y In 20 countries, notably Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote

d'ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria and Togo

y Traditionally managed and harvested in thefarmlands of Africa

).- Trade promotes sustainable production, therefore

good option for organic and fair-trade certification

How Is Shea Butter Used?Traditionally in Africa

).- As a fat for frying and in sauces

).- Skin cream, hair care and soap-making

).- Medicinal uses

Edible Fat

y Shea stearin (vegetable fat) is used internationally

as an additive to chocolates

).- Used as a vegetable fat in biscuits and pastries

Personal Care Products

).- Soap manufacture - high 'saponifiable' content

y Skin and hair care cosmetics: lotions, creams,

moisturizers

Map courtesy ofwww.pl.OkaT.ite.orQ

Benefits of Shea Butter

).- Shea's moisturizing and regenerative properties have

led to traditional applications such as protecting skin

against UV light and reducing inflammation, stretch

marks, and wrinkles.

y Whole unrefined 'virgin' butter is a preferred

ingredient for use in natural cosmetic products.

).- Pharmaceutical products are being developed with

clinical trials underway for the treatment of eczema,

arthritis, high cholesterol, ete.

The Chemistry of Shea Buttery Dry shea kernels contain 50% oil or fat of which 36­

47% is stearin and 33-50% is olein. An unsaponifiable

fraction (2-11 %) includes a range of chemicals with

known bioactive properties:

• Antioxidants such as tocopherols (vitamin E), ca­rotenoids (precursors to vitamin A) and flavon-

oids (including catechins)

• T riterpenes with anti-inflammatory and protease­inhibition properties (a-amyrin, lupeol, butyros­permol, parkeol-often esterified to cinnamic

acid)

• Phytosterols include campesterol, stigmasterol, 13­

sitosterol, a-spinasterol, delta-7-avenasterol

• Polyisoprenic hydrocarbon karitene (up to 2%)

Tips for Storagey Before storage, boiling traditional butter destroys

microorganisms and ensures low water content.

).- Traditional butter can have a shelf-life of up to two

years by avoiding UV, air, metal, humidity and high

temperature during storage.

Tips for Processing

).- Post-harvest processing and selection of kernels

affects butter quality.

y Filtering removes fine particles, but leaves thebeneficial chemicals intact.

y The texture of shea butter can be made smoother by

re-melting and stirring frequently while solidifying.

).- Natural plant dyes can be added to color the butter,

e.g., vibrant yellow-orange color from root material

of Cochlospermum tinctorium.

).- Soap-makers can use lower grades of butter with highFFA.

Y After saponification it is best to "super-fat" with high­grade butter to ensure the beneficial properties are

still present.

).- Shelf-life is longer when there are lower levels of freefatty acids (FFA) « 3%), peroxides « I0%) and water

content «0.2%).

What is Shea Butter?

Where Does It Come From?

y Native to Africa in a 3,500 mile-wide dry-land zonesouth of the Sahara desert and north of the tropical

rainforest

y In 20 countries, notably Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote

d'ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria and Togo

Y Traditionally managed and harvested in thefarmlands of Africa

).- Trade promotes sustainable production, therefore

good option for organic and fair-trade certification

How Is Shea Butter Used?Traditionally in Africa

).- As a fat for frying and in sauces

Y Skin cream, hair care and soap-making

);- Medicinal uses

E.dible Fat

);- Shea stearin (vegetable fat) is used internationally

as an additive to chocolates

).- Used as a vegetable fat in biscuits and pastries

Personal Care Products

Y Soap manufacture - high 'saponifiable' content

);- Skin and hair care cosmetics: lotions, creams,

moisturizers

Map courtesy ofwww.prokal'ite.org

Benefits of Shea Butter

Y Shea's moisturizing and regenerative properties have

led to traditional applications such as protecting skin

against UV light and reducing inflammation, stretch

marks, and wrinkles.

Y Whole unrefined 'virgin' butter is a preferred

ingredient for use in natural cosmetic products.

Y Pharmaceutical products are being developed with

clinical trials underway for the treatment of eczema,

arthritis, high cholesterol, ete.

The Chemistry of Shea ButterY Dry shea kernels contain 50% oil or fat of which 36­

47% is stearin and 33-50% is olein. An unsaponifiable

fraction (2-11 %) includes a range of chemicals with

known bioactive properties:

• Antioxidants such as tocopherols (vitamin E), ca­rotenoids (precursors to vitamin A) and flavon-

oids (including catechins)

• T riterpenes with anti-inflammatory and protease­inhibition properties (a-amyrin, lupeol, butyros­permol, parkeol-often esterified to cinnamic

acid)

• Phytosterols include campesterol, stigmasterol, 13­

sitosterol, a-spinasterol, delta-7-avenasterol

• Polyisoprenic hydrocarbon karitene (up to 2%)

Tips for StorageY Before storage, boiling traditional butter destroys

microorganisms and ensures low water content.

);- Traditional butter can have a shelf-life of up to two

years by avoiding UV, air, metal, humidity and high

temperature during storage.

Tips for Processing

).- Post-harvest processing and selection of kernels

affects butter quality.

Y Filtering removes fine particles, but leaves the

beneficial chemicals intact.

).- The texture of shea butter can be made smoother by

re-melting and stirring frequently while solidifying.

).- Natural plant dyes can be added to color the butter,

e.g., vibrant yellow-orange color from root material

of Cochlospermum tinctorium.

);- Soap-makers can use lower grades of butter with highFFA.

);- After saponification it is best to "super-fat" with high­grade butter to ensure the beneficial properties are

still present.

).- Shelf-life is longer when there are lower levels of free

fatty acids (FFA) « 3%), peroxides « I0%) and water

content «0.2%).