Shea Butter Other Tropical Oil Melting point -A stable solid at room temperature and will remain a solid till 51°C. -A semi solid at room temperature. -Will not require hydrogenation for the production of solid margarine  -Melts at temperatures higher than 35°C.   -Will require hydrogenation for the production of solid margarine  Saponifiable Composition Saturated fatty acid is chiefly stearic acid, which is the least deleterious saturated fatty acid to cardiovascular health. Palmitic and Lauric acids are the predominant saturated fatty acids and are more deleterious to cardiovascular health than stearic acid. Unsaponifiable Composition Incredibly high in unsaponifiables that have been shown to contribute to cardiovascular health Unsaponifiable fractions are not as much as that of Shea butter Cost of Production Since hydrogenation is eliminated, the cost of production will be reduced. Hydrogenation will increase the cost of production.

Table 2: Shea butter versus other tropical oils as raw material for margarine.