Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential

Gaston Zomegni; Gilles Bernard Nkouam; Musongo Balike; Heukwa-Tefoung Anne; Lamine Said Baba-Moussa; Crépin Ella Missang; César Kapseu; Danielle Barth

doi:doi:10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12

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Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential

Gaston Zomegni

, Gilles Bernard Nkouam^*

, Musongo Balike

, Heukwa-Tefoung Anne

, Lamine Said Baba-Moussa

, Crépin Ella Missang

, César Kapseu

, Danielle Barth

Published in Engineering and Applied Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 5)

Received: 27 October 2025 Accepted: 10 November 2025 Published: 8 December 2025

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Abstract

The objective of this work is to study the food and technological potential of Balanites aegyptiaca through the physico-chemical properties of fruits, nuts, kernels and oils in the northern zone of Cameroon (Garoua, Maroua and Kousseri). The fruits, nuts and kernels were characterized. The physico-chemical properties of kernels and oils were determined by standardized methods. The kernel mass to fruit mass ratio is 11.67% for the samples from Garoua, 11.12% for those from Maroua and 13.40% for those from Kousseri. The oil content is higher than 44% regardless of the provenance of the kernels. The acid index values (1.21±0.07 mg KOH/g of oil for Maroua, 1.25±0.09 mg KOH/g of oil for Kousseri and 1.36±0.16 mg KOH/g of oil for Garoua) are lower than the standard of 4 mg KOH/g of oil recommended by CODEX standard for edible oils. The iodine index values are 114.30±0.05 mgI₂/g for Maroua, 114.82±2.6 mgI₂/g for Garoua and 115.42±1.95 mgI₂/g for Kousseri. These values are close to those of cottonseed oil. The peroxide index values in meqO₂/Kg for the three localities are lower than 10 meqO₂/Kg, the recommended standard for edible oils. The saponification index gave the values of 189.33±4.8 for Kousseri, 186.52±2.4 for Maroua and 190.73±2.43 for Garoua. These values are lower than those of some conventional oils (copra, palm seed) used in soap making. Balanites aegyptiaca oil was found to be a stable oil with good preservation. It is semi siccative and less susceptible to oxidation than some conventional oils. This oil could be used as a main component for soap production.

Published in	Engineering and Applied Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12
Page(s)	123-133
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Balanites aegyptiaca, Fruits, Oil, Food Potential, Technological Potential

1. Introduction

Forecasts estimate a growth of 0.5% per year in vegetable oil consumption per person

[1]

. With this high demand for edible oils, it is important to seek new sources of oilseeds. This is all the more important since populations, especially rural ones, live in poverty. Indeed, the survival of the world population and especially the African population depends on the production of these plant species for the lipid part of their diet. Due to their high lipid content, the fruits of these plant species are already processed into a large number of products: butter, oil, soap

[2]

Thus, while urban populations with low purchasing power tended to consume imported cooking oils due to their lower cost, the sudden surge in prices led to an improvement in the competitiveness of local products and a return of consumers to them

[3]

. Particular interest has also arisen for other oilseeds whose regional importance is proven. These include shea, sesame, neem and other lesser-known species such as the desert date which populates the savannahs of the sahel. Balanites aegyptiaca or desert date

[4]

is a shrub widely distributed in the Sudano-Sahelian zone

[5]

whose fruit production amounts to approximately 25,000t/year

[6]

. The seeds can be used for the extraction of kernel oil, for the pulp in pharmacology and food (confectionery), for the nut as fuel. The well-conducted extraction of fats would increase the supply of edible oil and reduce poverty in rural areas

[7]

. However, the valuable and profitable exploitation of the desert date suffers from the lack of information concerning the fruits of interest and also of equipment adapted to the properties of local fruits for the different processing methods.

To our knowledge, Balanites aegyptiaca is still largely unknown to the general public regarding its use and processing. The studies of

[8]

focused on the geographical distribution and ethnobotanical knowledge of Balanites aegyptiaca among the populations of northern Senegal. In Chad, some studies were devoted to understanding peasant practices and perceptions in the use of Balanites aegyptiaca among local populations in the Ouaddaï region

[9]

. Some researchers have worked on the characaterization of kernels and oils. These include

[10]

in Burkina Faso,

[11]

in Nigeria and

[12]

in Uganda.

[13]

used Balanites kernel powder in the formulation of bio-insecticides. In Cameroon,

[14]

worked on the main uses of Balanites and the description of its population structure in four localities in the far north region (Diamare, Mayo-Kani and Mayo-Danay divisions). It appears that studies on the properties of these fruits and their oils in the three northern regions of Cameroon have not yet been carried out.

The study of the nutritional and technological potential of oils from desert date fruits will inform scientists and industrial companies on these fruits in relation to the place where they were harvested in order to effectively give guidance to their artisanal and industrial exploitation.

2. Material and Methods

2.1. Material

The biological material was constituted of the fruits of Balanites aegyptiaca. They were collected in two northern regions. For the far north region, the fruits were harvested in the localities of Kousseri and Maroua. For the northern region, the fruits were collected in the locality of Garoua. The city of Kousseri is located at 12°09’N latitude and 15°01’E longitude. The city of Maroua is located at 10°59’N latitude and 14°32’E longitude. Finally, the city of Garoua has the following geographical coordinates: 9°32’N latitude and 13°39’E longitude. The fruits were transported to the laboratory in Maroua in within eight hours for those from Kousseri and in four hours for those from Garoua. They were finally labeled and arranged by locality.

2.2. Methods

2.2.1. Morphological and Physical Characterization of Fruits, Nuts and Kernels

Harvested fruits were manually cleaned to remove foreign matter. Fifty fruits were the randomly sampled for the determination of physical properties. Finally, the fruits were depulped using a razor blade and then manually crushed using a stone and hammer. The kernel was gently extracted after crushing the fruit.

(i). Morphological Characterization of Fruits, Nuts and Kernels

The major diameter (x), average diameter (y), minor diameter (z), sphericity (Φ), mass of a thousand fruits (M₁₀₀₀), apparent density, true density, porosity and surface area were used to physically characterize fruits, nuts and kernels using the methods described by

[15]

(a) Determination of the major diameter (x), average diameter (y) and minor diameter (z) of fruits, nuts and kernels

All diameters were determined using a Schlenker Ltd USA caliper with an accuracy of 0.01. They were measured so that each measuring axis was perpendicular to the other two axes.

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Figure 1. Measurement axis (x=major diameter; y=average diameter; z=minor diameter).

(b) Determination of the average geometric diameter and sphericity of fruits, shell and kernels

The formulas below were used to calculate the geometric diameter and sphericity from the values of x, y et z.

- Average geometric diameter (Dg):

Dg =

\sqrt[3]{xyz}

(1)

- Sphericity (Φ): Sphericity is used to describe the shape of particles (spherical, ellipsoïdal). Its formula is as follows:

Φ =

\frac{\sqrt[3]{xyz}}{x}

(2)

(c) Determination of the surface area of fruits, nuts and kernels

The surface area was determined by analogy with a sphere of the same geometric average diameter using the following formula:

S=πDg²(3)

Where S is the surface area in mm² and Dg is the average geometric diameter in mm.

(ii). Physical Characterization of Fruits, Nuts and Kernels

(a) Determination of the mass of fruits, nuts and kernels

The mass was determined using a Sartorius precision balance (10^-2). The corresponding mass of 50 fruits was determined by weighing fruit by fruit. Subsequently, the fruits were depulped and similar measurements were made on the nuts. After shelling the nuts, the same measurements were made on the kernels.

(b) Determination on the mass of 1000 fruits (M1000), 1000 nuts and 1000 kernels

This measurement provided an indication of the yield and any problems the plant may have encountered during its development (scalding, insect or disease attacks). To perform this measurement, 100 fruits were weighed using a Sartorius precision balance (10^-2). The mass obtained was multiplied by 10.

The mass of 1000 nuts and 1000 kernels was determined in an identical manner.

(c) Determination of apparent density (ρ_a)

Density (ρ) is a physical quantity that defines the amount of mass (m) per unit volume (v). It is an indicator of the purity and concentration levels of certain products. The

[16]

method was used to determine this parameter. Density was calculated according to the following relationship:

ρ_a=

\frac{m}{v}

(4)

With ρ_a: apparent density in Kg/m³

m: mass of the fruit in Kg and V: volume of the container in m³

(d) Determination of real density (ρ_r)

The real density (ρ_r) was determined using the water displacement method. The fruits were weighed using a Sartorius precision balance (10^-2). Fruits with a known mass were placed in a graduated cylinder containing a known volume of water. The volume of water displaced by the fruit was recorded. The ration of the fruit mass to the fruit volume was considered the actual density.

ρ_{r =}

\frac{m}{v}

(5)

Where ρ_r is the real density, m is the fruit mass in Kg and v is the volume of water displaced by the fruit in m³.

(e) Determination of porosity (ε)

Porosity is the ratio of pore volume to the total volume of the material. It is calculated as a percentage of the substrate volume. It indicates the degree of compactness of the material. The porosity of fruits, nuts and kernels was calculated from the true density and the apparent density using the relationship:

ε = (1 - \frac{ρa}{ρr}) x 100

(6)

Where ε is the porosity in %, ρ_a is the apparent density in Kg.m^-3 and ρ_r is the true density in Kg. m^-3 respectively.

2.2.2. Chemical Characterization of Kernels

The kernels were ground using a Binatone hand-operated domestic grinder and the resulting ground kernels were used for chemical characterization. The

[17]

method was used to determine the water and ash contents of the kernels. The protein content was carried out using

[18]

. Sugar content was determined using colorimetric method of

[19]

. The extraction of oil was carried out according to the

[20]

method. The oil content (H) is given as a percentage of dry matter based on the following formula:

(7)

With S = percentage by mass of oil.

DM = dry matter content deducted from water content.

2.2.3. Physical Characterization of Oil

Colour is the visual sensation produced by light radiation absorbed or reflected by substances. A tintometer (Lovibond Tintometer 180000 Model F) was used to determine the colour of the oil samples. This determination is based on the variation of red, yellow and blue colours, the function of the coloured constituents in the sample and the quality of refining. Cottonseed oil is the reference oil. The standard for Diamaor brand cottonseed oil is ≤ 7.

Density is useful for measuring the quantities of vegetable oil. It provides information on the nature of the fatty acid component and is used to convert mass to volume and vice versa. The relative density of the oils was determined using the

[20]

method.

The method described by

[21]

was used to determine the refractive index of the oils.

2.2.4. Chemical Characterization of Oil Extracted from B. aegyptiaca

The acid, iodine, peroxide and saponification index were determined on the oils extracted from kernel powders according to the

[20]

method.

2.2.5. Statistical Analyses

The parameters were determined in triplicate. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the results obtained using

[22]

. The difference between means was detected using the DUNCAN comparison test at the 5% risk threshold.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Morphological and Physical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts and Kernels

3.1.1. Morphological Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts and Kernels

Table 1 presents the morphological characteristics of the fruits, nuts and kernels of the desert date from the localities of Garoua, Maroua and Kousseri. For the fruits, those from Garoua have the highest property values, regardless of the parameter (X=31.50 mm; Y=27.26 mm; Z=25.41 mm; Dg=27.92 mm; Φ=0.89 and S=2475.19 mm²). It is also noted that the values of all parameters of the fruits from Maroua and Kousseri are close. Furthermore, the fruits from the three localities have sphericity values greater than 0.7. The low parameter values for the fruits from Maroua and Kousseri could be explained by the low water retention capacity of their soils

[23]

. They also indicate that the fruits from Maroua and Kousseri are smaller than those from Garoua. The presence of some fruits from Kousseri bigger than those from Maroua can be explained by the influence of a microclimate in the areas where B. aegyptiaca grows in the town of Kousseri. Indeed,

[24]

observed, in Sudan, small fruits in the savannahs of dry areas compared to humid areas. Similar values of length (26 mm) and width (21 mm) were obtained in Senegal by

[25]

in Sudano-Sahelian zones. In view of the values of the sphericities of the fruits, it can be considered that the fruits of all localities are ellipsoïdal in the shape

[15]

. This « oval » shape corroborates that cited by

[26]

As for nuts, it was observed that Maroua nuts had the shortest length (24.46 mm) while Garoua nuts (27.41 mm) and Kousseri nuts (26.13 mm) had similar and longer lengths. The sphericity values for all nuts were greater than 0.7. For the other characteristics, the nuts of Garoua fruits were seen to have the highest values (Y=20.35 mm; Z=20.33 mm; Dg=22.40 mm; S=1591.68 mm²). Maroua fruits have the smallest nuts. The low values of other parameters for the fruits of Maroua and Kousseri could also be explained by the low water retention capacity of their soils

[23]

. The nuts from all localities were also observed to be ellipsoïdal in shape.

Concerning the kernels of B. aegyptiaca, we noted that the length of the fruits of Garoua (20.43 mm) was significantly greater than those of Maroua (16.42 mm) and Kousseri (17.27 mm). The values of other parameters were significantly decreasing according to the direction Garoua, Maroua and Kousseri. These results indicated that the fruits of Garoua had the biggest kernels while those of Kousseri had the smallest kernels. Thus, if we want big kernels, we will have to take Garoua as the source. We also noted that the sphericity values for the kernels of the fruits of the three study areas were less than 0.7. This would suggest that not all kernels are ellipsoïdal in shape.

Table 1. Morphological characteristics of fruits, nuts and kernels of B. Aegyptiaca.

Morphological characteristic	Location			Element
Morphological characteristic	Garoua	Maroua	Kousseri	Element
X (mm)	31.50±2.69^a	27.06±1.94^b	28.79±0.83^b	Fruits
Y (mm)	27.26±3.18^a	21.15±1.92^b	22.44±2.69^b
Z (mm)	25.42±3.21^a	20.13±1.92^b	20.89±1.42^b
Dg (mm)	27.92±2.89^a	22.57±1.85^b	23.74±1.28^b
Φ	0.89±0.04^a	0.84±0.04^b	0.83±0.07^b
S (mm²)	2475.19±461.70^a	1610.47 ± 255.52^b	1777.17 ± 181.20^b
X (mm)	27.41±2.69^a	24.46±2.02^b	26.13±3.05^a	Nuts
Y (mm)	20.35±2.69^a	17.54±1.64^b	17.17±2.71^b
Z (mm)	20.33±2.69^a	16.47±1.71^b	15.81±2.76^b
Dg (mm)	22.40±2.29^a	19.16 ±1.43^b	19.11±2.23^b
Φ	0.82±0.10^a	0.79±0.06^a	0.83±0.08^a
S (mm²)	1591.68±295.17^a	1159.55±177.55^b	1162.18±262.56^b
X (mm)	20.43±2.26^a	16.42±2.18^b	17.27±2.19^b	Kernels
Y (mm)	10.87±0.83^a	9.70±0.99^b	8.32±1.47^c
Z (mm)	9.29±0.81^a	8.13±0.99^b	6.86±1.41^c
Dg (mm)	12.71±0.89^a	10.87±1.02^b	9.92 ±1.51^c
Φ	0.63±0.05^a	0.67±0.07^b	0.58±0.07^c
S (mm²)	509.53±71.22^a	374.32±67.15^b	316.13±97.46^c

X= Major diameter; Y= Average diameter; Z= Minor diameter; Dg = Geometric diameter; Φ= Sphericity; S=Surface

The values in the rows with the different letters in the exponent are significantly different (p < 0.05)

3.1.2. Physical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts and Kernels

Table 2 presents the physical characteristics of the fruits, nuts and kernels of B. aegyptiaca. The values of the masses of the fruits showed a decrease following the trend Garoua (14.13g), Kousseri (12.76g) and Maroua (11.68g). as for the nuts, we observed that the highest mass was that of the nuts of Garoua (6.79g) and the smallest mass was that of Kousseri (5.93g). we also observed that the values of the masses of the kernels were higher in Kousseri (1.70g) and Garoua (1.63g), followed by those of Maroua (1.28g). The high value of the mass of the fruits, nuts and kernels of Garoua could be linked to the high humidity of the soils. Indeed, the city of Garoua is located in a basin and is drained by the Benue river. Furthermore, these values were higher than that of 4.68g found by

[25]

. This difference would be due to the harsher Sahelian weather conditions in Senegal.

Regarding 1000 fruits, the highest mass was that of Garoua (13856.25g), followed by that of Kousseri (12872.25g) and that of Maroua (11776.47g). These results could be explained by the humidity of the soils of Garoua which favors high yields. While the less humid soils in Maroua probably lead to low yields. The masses of 1000 nuts indicated that the values decrease from Garoua (6911.5g), Maroua (6296.65g) to Kousseri (5918.5g). The problems that occured in their development would explain the low masses obtained in Kousseri. Regading the kernels, the masses of 1000 kernels were lower in Maroua (1278.5g). This low value for Maroua could be explained by the drier soils in this city

[27, 28]

. These important results for understanding the development of the plant were, to our knowledge, the first concerning B. aegyptiaca.

The apparent density values of the fruits showed that they were higher for the fruits of Garoua (732.2 Kg/m³) and Maroua (730.6 Kg/m³). On the other hand, they were lower for the fruits of Kousseri (703.8 Kg/m³). The high values of the fruits of Garoua could be explain by the fact that the constituent particles of these fruits were closer to each other. Anything that would increase the density of the fruits. On the other hand, the low value for the fruits of Kousseri, could be explained by a high proportion of voids in these fruits. This trend was also observed in the values of the apparent density of the nuts and kernels. The values of the real density of the fruits, nuts and kernels followed the same trend as the apparent density.

The porosity values of fruits (43.96%), nuts (27.10%) and kernels (59.52%) showed that they were higher for Kousseri. These observations could be explained by the higher proportions of voids in Kousseri fruits. These values were also consistent with the trends observed in the density values. Indeed, a high density value indicates a material with a low proportion of voids. Porosity being inversely proportional to density.

It was observed that the fruits of Maroua (53.58%) had the highest proportion of nuts while the fruits of Kousseri (46.31%) had the lowest proportion. However, the fruits of Kousseri (13.40%) contained more kernels than the other fruits. In addition, the fruits of the Kousseri locality were richer in pulp (53.69%). These values (46.42% to 53.69%) were lower than 57% reported by

[29]

, but higher than the values (35% to 43%) of the total weight of the fruit found by

[25]

for fruits of Senegal. This value was similar to the values (43% à 53%) found by

[5]

. The highest proportion of hull was that of Maroua fruits (42.46%), and the lowest was that of Kousseri fruits (32.91%).

Table 2. Physical characteristics of fruits, nuts and kernels of B. Aegyptiaca.

Physical characteristic	Location
Physical characteristic	Garoua	Maroua	Koussseri
Mass (g)
Fruits	14.13±1.59^a	11.68±1.38^b	12.76±2.95^a
Nuts	6.79±0.77^a	6.26±0.62^ab	5.93±0.83^b
Kernels	1.63 ±0.11^a	1.28 ±0.14^b	1.70±0.26^a
Mass of 1000(g)
Fruits	13856.25±1722.71^a	11776.47±1626.55^b	12872.25±1706.67^ab
Nuts	6911.50±455.17^a	6296.65±326.55^b	5918.50±357.35^c
Kernels	1652.50±157.35^a	1278.5±187.22^b	1726.50±254.56^a
Apparent density (Kg/m³)
Fruits	732.20±24.22^a	730.60±19.73^a	703.80±18.24^b
Nuts	839.30±18.35^a	833.30±20.18^a	816.60±17.88^b
Kernels	731.50±15.35^a	730.50±16.61^a	726.60±15.16^b
Real density (Kg/m³)
Fruits	1 268.50±35.35^a	1271.20±37.75^a	1233.90±35.59^b
Nuts	1769.70±42.76^a	1771.10±40.52^a	1765.30±40.66^b
Kernels	1280.90±23.34^a	1261.90±28.17^a	1159.90±31.82^b
Porosity (%)
Fruits	42.29±1.37^b	42.52±1.60^b	43.96±1.05^a
Nuts	22.28±2.57^c	25.71±3.56^b	27.10±3.12^a
Kernels	58.64±2.75^b	58.70±2.35^b	59.52±4.18^a
Proportions between masses (%)
Nut/fruit	48.05±1.31^b	53.59±1.35^a	46.47±1.85^b
Kernel/fruit	11.54±1.25^b	10.96±1.51^b	13.32±1.41^a
Pulp/fruit	52.20±0.64^b	46.42±1.14^c	53.69±1.39^a
Hull/fruit	36.13±0.78^b	42.46±0.83^a	32.91±0.46^c

The values in the rows with the different letters in the exponent are significantly different (p < 0.05)

3.2. Chemical Characteristics of Kernels

Table 3 presents the chemical characteristics of B. aegyptiaca kernels. It is observed that the water content of Garoua kernels (4.38%) was significantly higher than that of Maroua (3.89%) and Kousseri (3.75%). The same was found to be true for lipid content, except that in this case, Maroua kernels had the lowest (44.4%). This trend in lipid content was identical to that obtained for sugar content, namely 18.25%, 17.87% and 17.69% for Garoua, Kousseri and Maroua, respectively. The same was true for the protein content of the kernels. As for ash content, it was observed that the locality of the kernels had no significant influence on the values of these contents.

The high water content of kernels from Garoua could be due to the high humidity of the soils in the town drained by the Benue river. The other results could be explained by the agroclimatic and pedological conditions of the three localities. Indeed, the humidity of the soils in Garoua would favor high contents while the less humid soils would lead to low contents in Maroua. The observed water contents were higher than those obtained by

[5]

and

[10]

, namely 3.6% and 3.14% on B. aegyptiaca, respectively. However, they were lower than the value of 18.1% obtained by

[29]

. These differences could be explained by the Sahelian climate of Chad which would make the soil drier. Furthermore, the values obtained by

[29]

were the average of the values of samples from several origins. This could explain the difference with the results of this study. The differences between the other chemical characteristics could also be due to the varied agro-climatic and soil conditions of the different localities. The lipid content values were higher than those of 41% and 39.33% obtained by

[5]

and

[10]

, respectively. However, they correspond to those between 46.93% and 49.32% mentioned by

[26, 30]

and

[31]

for the values of Garoua and Kousseri. On the contrary, this range of values was higher than the value of Maroua. This difference could be explained by the different soil conditions. The sugar content values were lower than those of 21%, 33% and 25.53% obtained by

[5, 29]

and

[10]

, respectively. This difference could be explained by the difference in soil conditions of Chad for the first and in the calculation method (average of the values of samples from several origins) for the others. As for the protein content, our values were not far from those between 24.5% and 25.3% recorded by

[30]

. The proximity of the results could be explained by the fact that we used the same quantification method as these authors: the total nitrogen quantification method. Our values were lower than those of 27% and 28.28% obtained by

[5]

and

[10]

, respectively. Agro-climatic and soil differences would induce this difference in value. On the contrary, our values were higher than that of 4.7% obtained by

[29]

. The origin of the samples of the said authors could be at the origin of this difference. The ash contents were higher than the 3% obtained by

[5]

but lower than the values in the range of 3.92% to 4.06% and 3.72% mentioned by

[30]

and

[10]

. The difference in climatic and pedological conditions of each country could explain these differences. These results showed that the kernels of Kousseri contained more dry matter than the kernels of other cities. The kernels of the northern region (Garoua) were therefore more interesting for their chemical characteristics.

Table 3. Chemical characteristics of B. aegyptiaca kernels.

Chemical characteristic	Location
Chemical characteristic	Garoua	Maroua	Koussseri
Water content (%)	4.38±0.95^a	3.89±0.29^b	3.75±0.54^b
Lipid content (% DM)	49.20±1.03^a	44.40±0.52^c	46.10±0.45^b
Sugar content (% DM)	18.25±0.11^a	17.69 ±0.14^c	17.87±0.26^b
Protein content (% DM)	24.55±1.71^a	23.18±1.55^b	24.13±1.67^ab
Ash content (% DM)	3.35±0.17^a	3.24±0.35^a	3.13±0.45^a

The values in the rows with the different letters in the exponent are significantly different (p < 0.05)

3.3. Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Kernel Oils

3.3.1. Physical Characteristics of Kernel Oils

Table 4 shows the physical properties of desert date kernel oil. It was noted that the oils extracted from the kernels obtained from the three localities has a light yellow colour. According to many authors

[5, 32, 26]

, the colour of B. aegyptiaca oil was close to that of peanut oil, that is to say light yellow. This colour was also consistent with that found by

[33]

and

[11]

The density of the oils was not significantly influenced by the originating locality of the kernels. The values of these densities were within the required range (0.91-0.93 Kg/m³) according to

[34]

and similar to those of quality edible oils (olive, peanut, sesame and soybean oils)

[35, 36, 11]

. However, these values were lower than that of 0.954 mentioned by

[33]

. This difference could come from the solvent (petroleum ether) used by this author and which has a low selectivity for triglycerides compared to hexane.

The provenance of the kernels didn’t have a significant influence on the refractive index values of the oils. These values were higher than those of 1.461, 1.45 and 1.458 obtained by

[12, 31]

and

[11]

, respectively. This difference could be due to the higher measurement temperature for these authors. Indeed, the refractive index of oils decreases with increasing temperature

[21]

. These values were close to that of peanut oil (1.470 to 1.472)

[33]

Table 4. Physical characteristics of desert date kernel oil.

Location	Garoua	Maroua	Kousseri
Colour	Light yellow	Light yellow	Light yellow
Density at 22°C (kg/m³)	0.916±0.005^a	0.916±0.008^a	0.917±0.003^a
Refractive index at 20°C	1.473±0.009^a	1.474±0.005^a	1.474±0.002^a

The values in the rows with the different letters in the exponent are significantly different (p < 0.05)

3.3.2. Chemical Characteristics of Kernel Oils

Table 5 lists the chemical characteristics of B. aegyptiaca kernel oils. It appeared that the originating locality of the kernels had no significant influence on the values of all oil quality index. Regarding the acid index, the values obtained were lower than the standard of 4 recommended by the

[37]

for edible oils. This was an indicator of the good purity and stability of B. agyptiaca oils. These results were also consistent with the range of values (0.9 to 1.27) mentioned by

[5]

. However, these values were lower than those of 1.56, 2.14 and 3.06, obtained by

[12, 31]

and

[11]

, respectively. This difference could be explained by the fact that the fruits and kernels were dried on the one hand, and on the other hand by the use of petroleum ether as a solvent. These values were higher than that of 0.4 mentioned by

[10]

. The treatment of the kernel powder could explain this difference. Indeed, these authors sieved the powder after drying and grinding the kernels.

As for the iodine index of the oils, the values were higher than those of (96 to 111) obtained by

[5]

, that of 100.52 obtained by

[12]

, that of 104.39 mentioned by

[31]

, that of 98.73 mentioned by

[11]

and finally that of 104.86 obtained by

[10]

. The extraction solvent and the treatment of the samples could explain this difference. The iodine index values obtained attest to the food potential of this oil. These iodine index obtained were comparable to those of other common oils, such as soybean oil (117 to 143), cottonseed oil (90 to 119) and sesame oil (104 to 120)

[38]

. These results demonstrate the semi-siccative properties of these oils because semi-drying oils have an iodine value between 100 and 130.

The peroxide index were lower than the standard of 10 recommended by the

[37]

for edible oils. They indicated the stability and a good level of oxidation of the oils

[39]

. These values were higher than those of 2.95, 3.71 and 4 mentioned by

[31, 11]

and

[10]

, respectively. The extraction solvent and sample treatment could also explain this difference.

The saponification index values were lower than the standard of 195 to 205 recommended by the

[37]

for edible oils. These values were lower than those of coconut and palm kernel oils, which have a maximum saponification index of 264 and 254, respectively, and are commonly used as raw materials for the manufacture foaming soaps

[40]

. The lower saponification index values indicated that this oil could be used as the main component for soap production. They would also indicate a good shelf live of this oil with a lower risk of oxidation (low proportion of short-chain fatty acids). These results were also in line with the values range (190 to 198) and (180.50 to 192.80) obtained by

[5]

and

[12]

. However, these values were lower than those of 200.02 and 198 obtained by

[31]

and

[11]

, respectively. This difference could be explained by the use of petroleum ether as a solvent. These values were higher than that of 181.96 mentioned by

[10]

. The treatment of the kernel powder could explain this difference.

Table 5. Chemical characteristics of desert date kernel oil.

Location	Garoua	Maroua	Kousseri
Acid index (mg KOH/g)	1.36±0.16^a	1.21±0.07^a	1.25±0.09^a
Iodine index (mgI_2/g)	114.82±2.60^a	114.30±0.05^a	115.42 ±1.95^a
Peroxide index (meqO₂/Kg)	5±0.06^a	5±0.19^a	5±0.50^a
Saponification index (mg KOH/g)	190.73±2.43^a	186.52±2.43^a	189.30±4.80^a

The values in the rows with the different letters in the exponent are significantly different (p < 0.05)

4. Conclusion

The objective of this work was to evaluate the food and technological potential of B. aegyptiaca by determining the physicochemical properties of fruits, nuts, kernels and oil from the northern region of Cameroon (Garoua, Maroua and Kousseri). The fruits, nuts and kernels, as well as the extracted oils were characterized.

The fruits and nuts were ellipsoïdal in shape, while the kernels were not. The fruits, nuts and kernels from Garoua had the highest morphological property values, regardless of the parameter. These results indicated that the fruits, nuts and kernels from Garoua were biggest. The kernels from Kousseri were the smallest. For kernel exploitation, it was found that the best source for fruits was from Garoua. The highest mass per 1000 fruits was from Garoua (13856.25g) and the weights of 1000 nuts and 1000 kernels were also among the highest. This was indicative of high yields. To our knowledge, these important results for understanding the plant’s development were the first concerning B. aegyptiaca. The densities of fruits, nuts and kernels from Garoua were also the highest since they were denser than those from Maroua and Kousseri.

The lipid content was greater than 44% regardless of the originating locality of the kernels. Garoua kernels had the highest water, lipid, sugar and protein contents. However, the ash content was the same for the kernels from all three localities. Garoua kernels were more interesting for their chemical characteristics.

The acid index values were lower than the standard of 4 mg KOH/g recommended by CODEX for edible oils. The iodine index values were close to those of cottonseed oil. The peroxide index values for all three localities were lower than 10 meqO₂/Kg oil which is the standard for edible oils. The saponification index values gave values lower than those of certain conventional oils (coconut, palm kernel) used in soap making. B. aegyptiaca oil is stable and has a good shelf live. It is semi-siccative and less susceptible to oxidation than some conventional oils. This oil could be used as the main component for soap production. These results indicate that the exploitation of B. aegyptiaca fruits could be more interesting in the North region.

Abbreviations

M1000	Mass of 1000
DM	Dry Matter
mgKOH/g	Milligrams of Potassium Hydroxide per Gram
mgI₂/g	Milligrams of Diiodine per Gram
meqO₂/Kg	Mili Equivalent Oxygen per Kilogram

Author Contributions

Gaston Zomegni: Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Gilles Bernard Nkouam: Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Supervision, Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Musongo Balike: Formal Analysis, Methodology, Software, Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Heukwa-Tefoung Anne: Formal Analysis, Methodology, Software, Validation

Lamine Said Baba-Moussa: Supervision, Validation, Visualization

Crépin Ella Missang: Supervision, Validation, Visualization

César Kapseu: Supervision, Visualisation

Danielle Barth: Supervision, Visualisation

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest for this article.

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Zomegni, G., Nkouam, G. B., Balike, M., Anne, H., Baba-Moussa, L. S., et al. (2025). Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential. Engineering and Applied Sciences, 10(5), 123-133. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12

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Zomegni, G.; Nkouam, G. B.; Balike, M.; Anne, H.; Baba-Moussa, L. S., et al. Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential. Eng. Appl. Sci. 2025, 10(5), 123-133. doi: 10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12

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AMA Style

Zomegni G, Nkouam GB, Balike M, Anne H, Baba-Moussa LS, et al. Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential. Eng Appl Sci. 2025;10(5):123-133. doi: 10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12

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@article{10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12,
  author = {Gaston Zomegni and Gilles Bernard Nkouam and Musongo Balike and Heukwa-Tefoung Anne and Lamine Said Baba-Moussa and Crépin Ella Missang and César Kapseu and Danielle Barth},
  title = {Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential},
  journal = {Engineering and Applied Sciences},
  volume = {10},
  number = {5},
  pages = {123-133},
  doi = {10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eas.20251005.12},
  abstract = {The objective of this work is to study the food and technological potential of Balanites aegyptiaca through the physico-chemical properties of fruits, nuts, kernels and oils in the northern zone of Cameroon (Garoua, Maroua and Kousseri). The fruits, nuts and kernels were characterized. The physico-chemical properties of kernels and oils were determined by standardized methods. The kernel mass to fruit mass ratio is 11.67% for the samples from Garoua, 11.12% for those from Maroua and 13.40% for those from Kousseri. The oil content is higher than 44% regardless of the provenance of the kernels. The acid index values (1.21±0.07 mg KOH/g of oil for Maroua, 1.25±0.09 mg KOH/g of oil for Kousseri and 1.36±0.16 mg KOH/g of oil for Garoua) are lower than the standard of 4 mg KOH/g of oil recommended by CODEX standard for edible oils. The iodine index values are 114.30±0.05 mgI2/g for Maroua, 114.82±2.6 mgI2/g for Garoua and 115.42±1.95 mgI2/g for Kousseri. These values are close to those of cottonseed oil. The peroxide index values in meqO2/Kg for the three localities are lower than 10 meqO2/Kg, the recommended standard for edible oils. The saponification index gave the values of 189.33±4.8 for Kousseri, 186.52±2.4 for Maroua and 190.73±2.43 for Garoua. These values are lower than those of some conventional oils (copra, palm seed) used in soap making. Balanites aegyptiaca oil was found to be a stable oil with good preservation. It is semi siccative and less susceptible to oxidation than some conventional oils. This oil could be used as a main component for soap production.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential
AU - Gaston Zomegni
AU - Gilles Bernard Nkouam
AU - Musongo Balike
AU - Heukwa-Tefoung Anne
AU - Lamine Said Baba-Moussa
AU - Crépin Ella Missang
AU - César Kapseu
AU - Danielle Barth
Y1 - 2025/12/08
PY - 2025
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12
DO - 10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12
T2 - Engineering and Applied Sciences
JF - Engineering and Applied Sciences
JO - Engineering and Applied Sciences
SP - 123
EP - 133
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2575-1468
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12
AB - The objective of this work is to study the food and technological potential of Balanites aegyptiaca through the physico-chemical properties of fruits, nuts, kernels and oils in the northern zone of Cameroon (Garoua, Maroua and Kousseri). The fruits, nuts and kernels were characterized. The physico-chemical properties of kernels and oils were determined by standardized methods. The kernel mass to fruit mass ratio is 11.67% for the samples from Garoua, 11.12% for those from Maroua and 13.40% for those from Kousseri. The oil content is higher than 44% regardless of the provenance of the kernels. The acid index values (1.21±0.07 mg KOH/g of oil for Maroua, 1.25±0.09 mg KOH/g of oil for Kousseri and 1.36±0.16 mg KOH/g of oil for Garoua) are lower than the standard of 4 mg KOH/g of oil recommended by CODEX standard for edible oils. The iodine index values are 114.30±0.05 mgI2/g for Maroua, 114.82±2.6 mgI2/g for Garoua and 115.42±1.95 mgI2/g for Kousseri. These values are close to those of cottonseed oil. The peroxide index values in meqO2/Kg for the three localities are lower than 10 meqO2/Kg, the recommended standard for edible oils. The saponification index gave the values of 189.33±4.8 for Kousseri, 186.52±2.4 for Maroua and 190.73±2.43 for Garoua. These values are lower than those of some conventional oils (copra, palm seed) used in soap making. Balanites aegyptiaca oil was found to be a stable oil with good preservation. It is semi siccative and less susceptible to oxidation than some conventional oils. This oil could be used as a main component for soap production.
VL - 10
IS - 5
ER -

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Author Information

Gaston Zomegni

National Advanced School of Engineering, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon

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http://orcid.org/0009-0008-7731-2463
Gilles Bernard Nkouam

National Advanced School of Engineering, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon

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http://orcid.org/0009-0002-2579-417X
Musongo Balike

School of Chemical Engineering and Mineral Industries, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

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http://orcid.org/0009-0004-1728-6022
Heukwa-Tefoung Anne

William Beaumont School of Medicine,Oakland University, Oakland, United States of America

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http://orcid.org/0009-0006-6697-4053
Lamine Said Baba-Moussa

Faculty of Science and Technique, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin

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http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8160-5954
Crépin Ella Missang

National Advanced Institut of Agronomy and Biotechnology, University of Science and Technique of Masuku, Franceville, Gabon

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http://orcid.org/0009-0008-5588-7960
César Kapseu

National Advanced School of Agro-Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

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http://orcid.org/0009-0009-1424-654X
Danielle Barth

Laboratory of Reactions and Process Engineering, University of Lorraine, Nancy, France

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http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1458-2094

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Figure 1

Figure 1. Measurement axis (x=major diameter; y=average diameter; z=minor diameter).

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APA Style

Zomegni, G., Nkouam, G. B., Balike, M., Anne, H., Baba-Moussa, L. S., et al. (2025). Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential. Engineering and Applied Sciences, 10(5), 123-133. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12

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Zomegni, G.; Nkouam, G. B.; Balike, M.; Anne, H.; Baba-Moussa, L. S., et al. Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential. Eng. Appl. Sci. 2025, 10(5), 123-133. doi: 10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12

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Zomegni G, Nkouam GB, Balike M, Anne H, Baba-Moussa LS, et al. Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential. Eng Appl Sci. 2025;10(5):123-133. doi: 10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12

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@article{10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12,
  author = {Gaston Zomegni and Gilles Bernard Nkouam and Musongo Balike and Heukwa-Tefoung Anne and Lamine Said Baba-Moussa and Crépin Ella Missang and César Kapseu and Danielle Barth},
  title = {Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Fruits, Nuts, Kernels and Oils of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) from Three Locations in Northern Cameroon: Industrial Potential},
  journal = {Engineering and Applied Sciences},
  volume = {10},
  number = {5},
  pages = {123-133},
  doi = {10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20251005.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eas.20251005.12},
  abstract = {The objective of this work is to study the food and technological potential of Balanites aegyptiaca through the physico-chemical properties of fruits, nuts, kernels and oils in the northern zone of Cameroon (Garoua, Maroua and Kousseri). The fruits, nuts and kernels were characterized. The physico-chemical properties of kernels and oils were determined by standardized methods. The kernel mass to fruit mass ratio is 11.67% for the samples from Garoua, 11.12% for those from Maroua and 13.40% for those from Kousseri. The oil content is higher than 44% regardless of the provenance of the kernels. The acid index values (1.21±0.07 mg KOH/g of oil for Maroua, 1.25±0.09 mg KOH/g of oil for Kousseri and 1.36±0.16 mg KOH/g of oil for Garoua) are lower than the standard of 4 mg KOH/g of oil recommended by CODEX standard for edible oils. The iodine index values are 114.30±0.05 mgI2/g for Maroua, 114.82±2.6 mgI2/g for Garoua and 115.42±1.95 mgI2/g for Kousseri. These values are close to those of cottonseed oil. The peroxide index values in meqO2/Kg for the three localities are lower than 10 meqO2/Kg, the recommended standard for edible oils. The saponification index gave the values of 189.33±4.8 for Kousseri, 186.52±2.4 for Maroua and 190.73±2.43 for Garoua. These values are lower than those of some conventional oils (copra, palm seed) used in soap making. Balanites aegyptiaca oil was found to be a stable oil with good preservation. It is semi siccative and less susceptible to oxidation than some conventional oils. This oil could be used as a main component for soap production.},
 year = {2025}
}

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