EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF SHEA BUTTER EXTRACTION EFFICIENCY USING A CENTRIFUGAL PROCESS

The experiments carried out focused on shea butter extraction with a centrifuge machine. Experiments were carried out in the laboratory with a small centrifuge, with a view to determining how parameters such as kernel paste temperature, dilution rate and centrifugation speed affected extraction efficiency. High efficiencies (over 30%) were obtained with accelerations over 1,293 g, a kernel paste temperature over 90°C and dilution over 50%. The centrifuge machine that had been designed was then tested using the same variables as parameters for butter extraction efficiency at various sites. Extraction efficiency was found to be barely higher than 30 % on average. Mean efficiency values with traditional methods were found to be virtually the same as for the centrifugal process