A comparative study of the softening of aiele (Canarium schweinfurthii Engl.) fruits collected from five different locations in Cameroon have been carried out. The fruits were processed in water at 45 degreesC during 10-60 min, or in a dryer directly on grills, or in the dryer in opened or closed glass jars at 45 degreesC. Physicochemical characteristics were investigated during the softening. The optimum softening times varied between 40 and 60 min with 80-100% of the fruits softened into water or by direct drying. 120 min were necessary to obtain 60-100% of softened fruits in closed or opened jars. The softening rate (% of softened fruits per minute) exhibited a maximum that was observed after 30 and 60 min at 45 degreesC in water or in the dried methods respectively. Depending from the locations, losses in weight of fruits varied from 0.56% to 1.62% by direct drying, from 1.96% to 4.76/() in opened jars, and from 0.04% to 0.58% in closed jars. Contrary, fruits softened in water showed a gain of weight of the fruit pulp varying between 1.30% and 3.21%. There was no significant difference between the total lipids, iodine and acid values of oils obtained by solvent extraction from crude and softened fruits. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.