In case you've been wondering about the indigenous scientific process of shea butter extraction. I am here to give you some quick process i learnt on my trip to Northern Ghana few days ago. Shea butter is an extract from shea nut(tree) that has been used in West for Centuries. I was amused with the laborious process and decided to share with everyone.
But before the process, these are the raw materials and local tools needed for the process. Shea nuts, water, Mortar, Pistil, Cooking Pot, and Stirring Stick
Procedures
- The Shea nuts are boiled and allowed to dry
- The dry nuts are unshelled by cracking
- The unshelled nuts are pounded into smaller particles
- The smaller particles are fried for further softening
- The smaller fried pieces are milled in a mill or grinded stone to form paste.
- Water is then added to the paste-like material and stirred. stirring the paste-like material helps suspend the butter or oil in about 30minutes to 1 hour)
- The suspended butter is collected for melting in order to further purify it.
- The melted is separated from the unwanted materials
Finally it is then allowed to cool and solidify
Thanks for reading!!*