Shea butter waste for sustainable production of value-added biomaterials for circular bioeconomy: A review

Shea butter is a natural fat widely used in personal care products, cosmetics, and food industries. This review analyses the possibility of creating biomaterials with added value from shea butter waste. Results indicate that shea butter from East Africa is made up of (47 – 62) % oleic acid and (25 – 38) % stearic acid, while West African shea butter is made up of (29 – 48) % and (40 – 48) % oleic and stearic acid respectively. More than 2.5 million tons of shea kernel is produced annually, with about 55 % constituting shea nut cake. Uncontrolled disposal of shea butter waste is environmentally unsafe due to the presence of phytochemicals such as tannins, theobromine, saponins, alkaloids and phenols. Shea butter waste can be used as a source of raw materials in construction, packaging industries, pharmaceuticals, and others. Production of biomaterials from shea butter waste can make the production process environmentally safe, sustainable, and cost-effective. In conclusion, shea butter waste though yet to be fully exploited, is a promising source of value-added biomaterials, with potential for applications across multiple industries.