<i>Database: Combining social science and chemistry to uncover the potential of the traditional pit method for shea processing</i>

This study combines social science and chemistry to examine the use and chemical impact of the pit method. The study focuses on Burkina Faso due to its significance as a shea sourcing country and the traditional use of the pit method in the region. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1) How and why is the traditional pit method used in Burkina Faso? 2) What are the pros and cons of the pit method for the local processors, and what drives the adoption among new processors? 3) How does the pit method affect the chemical profile of the kernels? And 4) What are the pros and cons of the pit method for the shea industry? During the investigation 130 shea processors were interviewed, and 28 shea kernel samples (fresh, boiled, and pit-processed) were chemically characterized