Extraction of shea butter from shea kernels can be done via either water extraction i.e. boiling with water, mechanical extraction, solvent extraction, or a combination of these processes. The traditional method of how shea butter is made involves water extraction – boiling the shea kernels with water and skimming off the released oils.
How is shea oil extracted?
As a result, many shea producers are adopting more mechanized solutions to improve quality and yield. Larger processors use mechanical extraction equipment to recover more oil efficiently. Screw press expellers physically crush the shea kernels to squeeze out shea oil from the solid meal, which exits the expeller as a cake.
How is shea butter extracted in Ghana?
Extraction of shea butter is a major income generating activity in Ghana, particularly in the Northern Regions. It is estimated that about 80% of the shea butter produced in Ghana is processed by women using traditional aqueous extraction method. Commercial extraction using continuous screw press accounts for about 20% of production.
How to extract butter from shea kernels?
The IMC method involves the use of a low pressure manual screw press to extract butter from shea kernels. The study established an optimum extraction temperature of 60 • C and moisture content of 12% at which butter extraction efficiency was between 65.9% and 68.5%.
Does shea butter need solvent extraction?
For these reasons, solvent extraction is generally not preferred for shea butter extraction—especially in food and cosmetic markets where consumers seek natural, organic ingredients. What is shea oil? Traditional water extraction, mechanical expeller pressing, and solvent extraction yield shea butter.
How are shea nuts processed?
Subsequently, the nuts are processed by boiling, roasting, or sun-drying. Boiling in water prevents the shea seeds from germinating and prevents hydrolytic degradation of the extracted shea butter. The boiled shea nuts are sun-dried, and then the dried shea nuts are cracked to obtain the kernels.