EXTRACTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OIL FROM CASHEW NUT
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to extract oils from cashew nut and to characterized oils with the view to ascertain their
suitability for consumption and other uses. Soxhlet apparatus was used for its extraction using ethanol as solvent.
The physical and chemical properties of the extracted oil were analyzed. The percentage oil extracted from the shell
of the cashew was found to be 64.25%. The results of the physical analysis showed that the cashew nut shell liquid
CNSL is golden colour. The
boiling points for shell is
1500C respectively. And the
properties of CNSL
conformed to a greater
extent to that exhibited by
linseed oil. This suggests its
application in the processing and manufacturing industries.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The cashew tree (Anarcardium Occidentale) is a native of Brazil and the lower Amazons. The cashew has been
introduce and is valuable cash crop in the America, the West Indias, Madagascar, India and Malaysia (Frankel 1991).
As far back as 1967. Tyman and Morrris, describe the composition of cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL). The economic
importance of the special tree is such that while the tree is native to central and south America, it is now widely
distributed through out the tropics, particularly in many, parts of Africa and Asia. The cashew tree will tolerate a wild
range of condition including drought and poor soil, but cannot withstand cold forest.The major producing countries of
cashew are Tanzania, India, Mosambique, Sirilanka, Kenya, Madagasar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria,
Senegal, Malawi and Angola. World bank has estimated that 97% of production is from wild trees and only 3 percent
is from established plantation (Rosengarten, 1984). Gibbon etal (1981) reported that many trees are found growing
wild and that the plant germinate poorly, those that are cultivated are propagated by seed which are planted at a rate
of 2-3 per hole due to poor germination rates. Cashew nut is a high edible nut, it yields two “oils” one of these found
between the seed coat (or pericarp) and the nuts is called the cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL). It is not a triglyceride
and contains a high proportion of phenolic compound. It is used in industry as a raw material for brake ting
compounds as a roofing agent, a preservative and in the manufacturing of paints and plastics. It is toxic and corrosing
to the skin. Cashew apples are osmo-soldried to produce a data like ceramel.
1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
This project is aimed at the analysis of cashew nut and its oil. The main objective of this study is to carry out
proximate analysis and physio-chemical properties of cashew nut oil extracted by solvent methods this physiochemical properties determines are specific gravity , refractive index, pH value and value peroxide value and
saponification value, to achieve the objective of this project, it is important to:
a. Select the best suited solvent for optimum yield.
b. Characterize the extracted solvent oil for composition and properties
c. Test the suitability of the oil.
1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
In this project work, we intend to analyse and extract completely oil from cashew nut. Many research work has
been done in giving a detail composition found in cashew nut. But this research account on the optimum route to
- Extraction of oil from cashew nut
- Separation of pure oil from the solvent
- Characterization of the oil from cashew nut
EXTRACTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OIL FROM CASHEW NUT