Available online at www.scholarsresearchlibrary.com Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research, 2013, 5 (3):63-65 (http://scholarsresearchlibrary.com/archive.html) ISSN 0975-508X CODEN (USA) AASRC9 63 Scholars Research Library Nutritional and some elemental composition of shea (vitellaria paradoxa) fruit pulp O. C. Aguzue*, Akanji F. T., Tafida M. A. and Kamal M. J. Chemistry Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, Garki, Abuja _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT The oven dried shea (vitellaria paradoxa) fruit pulp were analysed for its nutritional composition and some elemental constituents. The result showed mean value as moisture 4.58%, ash 8.95%, crude fat 1.35%, crude protein 3.5%, crude fibre 9.6% and carbohydrate 72.02%. Results of mineral analysis showed that calcium had the highest concentration of all the elements analysed and were found to be of the order: Ca > Ni > Co> Mg > Pb > Mn > Fe> Cd. These values suggest that the fruit can be used as nutrient supplement and as a source of micro and macro elements to the body. Keywords: vitellaria paradoxa, shea fruit pulp, nutritional composition and elemental constituents. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Vitellaria paradoxa formerly known as butryospermum paradoxum is a tree indigenous to Africa. It is both a fruit tree and an oilseed crop. The plant is locally abundant in Nigeria in the derived savannah zones [1]. The shea tree produces a fruit whose pulp is sweet and edible when ripe. The nutritious pulp of the fruit is composed of the epicarp and mesocarp. It is widely consumed among the rural dwellers; it is sold in the local market and is also used as feeds to livestock [2]. The fruit ripens at the early part of the rainy season providing farmers a source of food while at the farm, complementing the depletion of food reserve at that critical time [3]. The shea tree is commonly known for its fat called shea butter, this is extracted from the kernels of its nut. Shea butter oil is still considered second to palm oil as the most important source of cooking fat, particularly by West African rural dwellers [4]. Due to the climatic conditions of the savannah zones; where we have low rainfall and the palm tree hardly thrive, the shea butter oil has found significant use by substituting the palm oil[2] Among other uses, the butter is also locally used in soap and pomade production [5] and in the treatment of cough and minor bone dislocation [6]. umali et al[4] reported on the elemental analysis and sugar content of the fruit pulp of vitellaria paradoxa from six Africa countries (excluding Nigeria). And baiyeri et al [7] reported the analysis carried out on the proximate compositions of the fruit pulp across its major distribution zones in Nigeria.