THIS ISSUE CONTAINS:
BUSINESS TRIP TO GHANA
WHAT SET SHEA butter APART FROM OTHER OILS?
POST EXTRACTION FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY OF SHEA butter
NIGERIA MILITIA STORMS OIL STATION

BUSINESS TRIP TO GHANA

We will be making a business trip to Ghana, West Africa in the month of October. During our visit, we will tour our Shea butter processing facility. We will use this opportunity to educate our cooperative women with the latest American Shea butter Institute (ASBI) recommendations for processing higher quality shea butter. Stay tune for updated and pictures of our visit.

WHAT SET SHEA butter APART FROM OTHER OILS?
What actually sets Shea butter from other oils is its exceptionally large healing fraction.

The oil derived from vegetables and nuts, for analysis and comparatives purposes can be categorized into two important fractions:
the moisturizing fraction
healing fraction
The size of the healing fraction in most of these oils is very small, often in the range of 1 percent of less. However, the outstanding healing fraction in Shea butter in Shea butter is about 5 percent or more. Some books report the healing fractions as high as 17 percent. The larger the percent of healing fraction, the more abundant is the healing ingredients necessary for skin ailments. Petroleum based personal care oils; unlike Shea butter have no healing fraction.

POST EXTRACTION FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY OF SHEA butter
Temperature
The ideal storage temperature is 70 degrees F. Storing of Shea butter outside of this temperature range may have effect on the quality (reduction in free fatty acid - FFA, etc.). Shea butter must also be stored in a dry and dark area away from light. The uses of airtight containers are recommended.

Age of Shea butter
Biological materials contained in Shea butter decay over time, even when the Shea butter is stored in the most ideal storage conditions. A quality Shea butter, when stored properly has a shelf life of 12-24 months.

Use of unsuitable storage containers
Containers that can rust of oxidize are unsuitable for storing Shea butter. The most suitable storage containers are nonmetallic containers. For example, plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized and enameled iron.

Use of unclean storage containers
The use of unclean storage containers may introduce several types of contamination. To prevent these, storage containers should be steam-cleaned before use.

SHEA butter NEWS
Africa hopes for anti-wrinkle cash cow
Some of the poorest women in Africa have something that American women want.

Its called shea butter comes from West Africa and is said to have magic moisturizing properties to create excellent anti-wrinkle creams, lip balm, stretch-mark ointments and soothing nappy rash lotions. Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2658591.stm

AFRICA TODAY
Nigeria militia storm oil station
A militia group from Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta region has seized an oil pumping station, in protest at the arrest of its leader.

More than 100 armed men in boats stormed the Idama flow-station, sources close to the Chevron oil company said. Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4270582.stm