EXTRACTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OIL FROM CASHEW NUT

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

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.

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