Vitellaria
Shea
The shea tree, also Sheanussbaum, shea butter tree or African butter tree called ( Vitellaria paradoxa, syn: Bassia parkii G.Don, Butyrospermum paradoxum ( CFGaertn. ) Hepper, Butyrospermum parkii ( G.Don ) Kotschy ), is the only species of the genus Vitellaria in the family of Sapotengewächse ( Sapotaceae ).
- 4.1 Literature
- 4.2 Notes and references
Occurrence
Vitellaria paradoxa is found in the savannas of the Sudan zone in tropical Africa between Senegal and Uganda. There are two subspecies: Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. paradoxa (in West Africa) and Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. nilotica (in East Africa). Vitellaria paradoxa grows at altitudes between 100 and 600 meters, with an average annual temperature between 25 and 29 ° C and an annual rainfall of 600-1400 mm.
Description
Vitellaria paradoxa grows as a tree reaching heights of growth of up to 20 meters, with a strong base and much branched, spreading tree crown. The very thick and korkige bark is usually gray to blackish and can protect older trees from fire. Are formed with angular leaf traces short shoots. The bark of young branches, petioles and flower buds has a rust-colored hair to varying degrees. The petiole is a third to half as long as the leaf blade. The ovate to elliptic leaf blade has a length of 10 to 25 cm and a width of 4.5 and 14 cm, with 20 to 30 lateral nerves per leaf half. The leaf margin is thickened and corrugated.
30 to 40 flowers are borne in clusters. The up to 3 cm long stalked flowers are fragrant and are hermaphroditic, and hairy, more or less intense. The sepals are arranged in two circles: the outer ones are lanceolate, 9-14 mm long and 3.5 to 6 mm wide; the inner are slightly smaller. The three cream-colored petals are fused with Roehrig 2.5 to 4 mm long corolla tube and broad - ovate, 7-11 mm long, 4.5 to 7 mm wide Corolla lobe. The stamens are 7 to 12 mm long. The anthers lanceolate, up to 4.5 mm long. the staminodes are up to 8 mm long. The stylus is 8-15 mm long.
The greenish when ripe berries have a length of up to 6.5 cm and a diameter of 4.5 cm. They contain a sweet pulp surrounding the seeds. The seeds have a length of up to 5 cm and a diameter of 3.5 cm.
Use
The fruits of Sheanussbaums are botanically berries, about 4 cm fruit kernels inside, the shea nuts contain about 50 % fat and are a significant source of food and skin care fat, the flesh is eaten.
As an important Nutzbaum is the shea among other species, such as Néré and baobab, mostly spared in the clearing of new fields. These traditional agroforestry is also called Culture Tree Park. Since the shea tree can be difficult but increasingly, new plants often are Zufallskeimungen, it only blooms from the age of about 20 years and only reached about 50 years his full earning power, its large-scale commercial exploitation by the long waiting time for the earnings still difficult.
Shea butter
From Kariténuss shea butter, also galam butter or shea butter is called, won. In the traditional mode of production after washing and crushing of the seeds obtained by boiling in water and subsequent skimming of floating above Sheaöls the shea butter. Its melting range is from 35 to 42 ° C. It is light yellow in color and has a pronounced earthy, chocolaty smell of nuts and butter. Therefore, it is also used as a substitute fat for cocoa butter in the chocolate production. Shea butter has the advantage that form when temperature fluctuations during storage no gray streaks on the surface of the chocolate.
Shea butter is preserved in the pure state, even in tropical heat, up to 4 years. The special feature of the shea butter is the high proportion of unsaponifiable matter ( about 75 % triterpenes, next to oleic acid, triterpene alcohols, vitamin E, beta - carotene and allantoin ), the proportion is between 8-11 % - compared to avocado oil 6%, sesame oil 1.5%, 1.2% olive oil. Shea butter contains mainly long chain unsaturated fatty acids, the main constituents are oleic acid ( 40-55 %), stearic acid ( 35-45 %), linoleic acid ( 3-8 %) and palmitic acid (3-7 %).
For export shea butter is frequently refined: The resulting grease is odorless, viscous, white in color. The ingredient Beta - carotene ( yellow color ) is lost, further investigation into lost ingredients are not known.