Abstract

The Allanblackia tree is found in parts of West, Central and East Africa and grows primarily in tropical rainforests. The oil from the seeds has been used by local communities but not on a commercial scale. The study was conducted to determine the nutrient composition of Allanblackia paviflora seeds and compare with some plant fats as well as assess the use of the oil in soap preparation. The oil was extracted by a screw press and also by solvent extraction using petroleum ether. The proximate composition showed that the dried seed kernels have a high fat content of 67.59%, low protein and ash contents of 4.27 and 1.98%, respectively. The major minerals in the seeds were potassium and phosphorus. The predominant fatty acids in the extracted oils were stearic acid and oleic acid with contents of about 52 and 45% respectively and the lowest amount was palmitic acid. The extremely high stearic acid content and very low palmitic acid content distinguished Allanblackia oil from palm and palm kernel oils. Sensory evaluation of  soap samples prepared from the oil indicated that the soap had good lathering ability and washing efficiency.

Key words: Allanblackia paviflora, nutrient composition, plant fats and oils, sensory evaluation.