**2.1. Sample collection and pretreatment**

Cashew was obtained from local markets in Ile-Ife, Osun State and a commercial farm in Owu-Ijebu in Ogun state. The shell was detached from the apple, washed and sun-dried prior to deshelling the nut. The cashew nut shell was further oven-dried and milled using a ball mill at the Petrochemical laboratory of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awo‐ lowo University, Ile-Ife. The milled CNS was sieved to obtain a particle size range of 5 mm. The ground sample was stored at 4°C in a refrigerator for further experimentation.
