Knowing the shea nut

Shea -- known in the local Dioula language as karité ("life") -- generally grows wild, with

little need for any special cultivation or nourishment. Almost all parts of the tree have

some practical use. The bark is an ingredient in traditional medicines against certain

childhood ailments and minor scrapes and cuts. The shell of the nuts can repel mosquitoes.

Above all, the fruity part of the nut, when crushed, yields a vegetable oil that can be

used in cooking, soap-making and skin and hair care. Harvesting the nuts and making the

butter have traditionally been women's work. Men usually are involved only in transport and

marketing.
Unprocessed shea nuts have been exported to Europe for decades, primarily for the

manufacture of chocolate in Switzerland and the UK.

 

Shea Nuts
Shea nut is the seed of the shea fruit that grows on the shea tree. The shea generally

grows wild and its an indigenous tree species to many countries in west africa The Shea

fruit fall to the ground during harvesting period Our brands

They are then buried in pits which causes the pulp to ferment and disintegrate and produces

enough heat to prevent germination. The Shea nuts are dried for a few days and are later

shelled and winnowed, usually by hand. The kernels are dried further to reduce moisture

content from about 40 percent to about 7 percent.
Seemingly Buyers specify their own quality standards for purchases of shea nuts and shea

butter. The following is a benchmark for the composition of the shea nut required for

export/import: