Nutritional and bio-physicochemical characterization of Vitellaria paradoxa butter (Shea butter) prepared and sold in Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

The ethnopharmacological uses of shea butter provides an evidence of its uses in our dishes and has been a tradition in many West African continent. This may be related due to it higher nutritional values, phytochemical content etc hence make it’s a valuable material in African folk medicine. This study is aimed to evaluate the phytochemicals, proximate and physicochemical analysis of Shea Butter. The AOAC protocols were followed for the proximate and physicochemical analyses, whereas the Brain and tuner techniques were used for the qualitative phytochemical study. The qualitative phytochemical analysis reveals the presence of various phytochemicals such as Terpenoids, Alkaloids, Saponins, Flavonoids, Tannins and Cardiac glycosides, the proximate analysis shows the percentage composition of Moisture (1.233±0.033), Ash (0.090 ± 0.0), Protein (3.103 ± 0.023), Fat (92.91±0.069) and Carbohydrate (2.660 ± 0.098), whereas the Physicochemical analysis shows the Physical and Chemical parameters as; Slip point 0C (68.67±0.67), Clear point 0C (119.3 ± 0.66), Smoke point 0C (162.0 ± 1.155), Flash point 0C (198.7±0.67), Fire point 0C (302.0 ± 1.155), Specific gravity (0.856±0.001) Refractive Index @25 0C (1.531 ± 0.003), Free fatty acid Value (0.533 ± 0.0067), Saponification Value (186.9 ± 0.073) Iodine Value (30.78 ± 0.012), Peroxide Value (0.9367±0.012). The findings revealed that, the Shea butter contained certain phyto-constituents and it physicochemical parameters fulfilled the FOA/WHO criteria. Similarly, shea butter contains some nutritionally significant components and has health benefits in addition to its numerous industrial applications.