Physicochemical characterization and Codexcompliance of artisanal shea butter sold in Gaoua, Burkina Faso
- African Journal of Biochemistry Research , 19 (4) : 70-82
Résumé
Shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa) is an edible fat and income source for rural communities in BurkinaFaso, yet data on artisanal market quality remain scarce. This study assessed the physicochemicalquality of shea butter sold at Gaoua’s main market and its compliance with Codex Alimentarius CXS325R-2017. Twenty-three samples were collected by convenience sampling and analysed for moisture(ISO 662), free fatty acids (FFA; ISO 660), peroxide value (PV; ISO 3960), and insoluble impurities (ISO663). Descriptive statistics, conformity rates, Spearman correlation, and PCA were used. Mean valueswere moisture 0.045 ± 0.015%, FFA 3.332 ± 2.659%, PV 3.50 ± 3.19 mEq O₂/kg, and impurities 0.0144 ±0.0026%. Grade I compliance was 95.7% for moisture, 95.7% for PV, and 100% for impurities, but only17.4% for FFA, the limiting factor. Only 3/23 samples (13.0%) met all four Grade I thresholds. For FFA,43.5% fell within Grade II and 39.1% exceeded its upper bound, indicating moderate-to-severe hydrolyticdegradation. PCA identified three atypical samples associated with hydrolytic (EBK4), moisture-related(EBK12), and oxidative (EBK23) degradation. FFA and PV correlated positively (ρ=0.54, p<0.01),suggesting hydrolysis-facilitated oxidation. Gaoua artisanal shea butter meets physical and oxidativeGrade I requirements but requires improved kernel drying and storage to reduce FFA and enhancedirect-consumption compliance.
Mots-clés
Shea butter, Vitellaria paradoxa, physicochemical quality, free fatty acids, peroxide value, Codex Alimentarius, market surveillance, Burkina Faso