Chemical analysis and base-promoted hydrolysis of locally extracted shea nut fat

The study was on the chemical analysis and base- promoted hydrolysis of extracted shea nut fat. The local method of extraction of the shea nut oil was employed in comparison with literature report. A simple cold-process alkali hydrolysis of the shea nut oil was used in producing the soap. The chemical analysis of the oil revealed that it had saponification, iodine and acid values of 136.32 ±1.943 mgKOH/g, 50.50 ± 8.023g I2/100g and 14.77 ± 0.065 mgKOH/g respectively. The analytical values obtained were significantly in favour of the utilization of the indigenous shea nut fat for soap production on commercial scale. The pH of the soap was 10.33, which is in agreement with the pH range of 9-11 set by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC), due to incomplete alkali hydrolysis resulting from the saponification process. The foam height of the soap was 4.2cm lower than that of Jatropha, sesame and cotton seed soaps analyzed higher than that of Neem, castor and castor superfatted with glycerine soaps. The soap was white and slightly soluble in distilled water.Key words: Shea nut fat, chemical analysis, Saponification, Foam ability and Solubility

Soap Preparation from mechanically cold pressed Nigerian neem (Azadiracta Indica) seed oil

Neem seed oil from the neem tree (Azadiracta indica) finds wide usage one of which is its utilization for cosmetics particularly soap products. The chemical analysis of seed oil was carried out using the methods reported by AOAC (1998), Akpan et al., (2006) and Bassir, (1978) which revealed that it had saponification, iodine and acid values of 148.8 ± 1.168 mgKOH/g , 73.76 ± 0.397 I2/100g and 22.37 ±1.168 mgKOH/g  respectively. The analytical values obtained were in favour of the utilization of the indigenous neem seed oil in soap production. The pH of the soap was 9.90, comparably within the higher pH range of 9-11 set by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), due to incomplete alkali hydrolysis resulting from the saponification process. The foam height of the soap was found to be 2.0 cm which is lower than that of Jatropha oil soap(5.4cm), Sesame oil soap(4.8cm), Cotton seed oil soap(4.5cm) and shea nut soap(4.2cm),t higher than that of Castor oil soap(1.6cm) and Castor glycerine soap(1.4cm). The soap was milk in colour and slightly soluble in distilled water.Keywords: Neem oil, Quality control, Saponification, Alkali free, Foamability