ABSTRACT

Detaiiled chemical characteristics of the sheanut seed (Butyrospernum parkii) was evaluated as a potential source of food and/or feed ingredient. Crude protein and lipid comprised 9.4% and 52.5% of the seed, respectively.

The lipid is a fat with melting point of 47.7°C. Fatly acid composition is made up of predominantly stearic and amino acids (32.0% and 51.1%, respectively). The micronutrients found were Na(38mg/100g), K(1825mg/100g) Mg(97g/100g), Ca(l03mg/100g), Fe(46mg/100g), Mn(l.0mg/100g), Zn(3mg/100g) and P(97mg/100g) respectively. Quantitative amino acid analysis of the sheanut seed showed it to be relatively high in phenylalaninc lysine (202mg/l 6g N) and leucine (53mg/16g N). The limiting amino acids were tryptophan and lysine (0.4 and 2 1mg/16g N) respectively. Extractable protein form the sheanut seed was about 27.6% with about 49% the extracted protein being prolamins.