Chemical properties of the pulp oil of tucumã-i-da-várzea (Astrocaryum giganteum Barb. Rodr.) obtained by enzymatic aqueous extraction
Wanessa Oliveira dos Santos, Antônio Manoel da Cruz Rodrigues, Luiza Helena Meller da Silva
Abstract
This study characterized the oil from the pulp of tucumã-i-da-várzea produced by enzymatic process. The acidity index, peroxide value, oxidative stability, total carotenoids, total phenolic compounds (TPC), and antioxidant capacity were determined in the oily and aqueous extract fractions. The oil with the highest extraction efficiency was characterized for fatty acid composition, atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indexes, iodine index, saponification value, and melting point. An efficiency equivalent to conventional extraction methods was obtained with oxidative stability, being comparable to traditional commercial oils with high values of total carotenoids, TPC and antioxidant activity, which indicated the greatest potential for application of an abundant Amazon raw material. This oil has a composition rich in unsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic and linoleic acids, with excellent nutritional quality scores (AI and TI). It can be considered an oil of high nutritional value, being indicated to replace traditional oils referred to as beneficial to health.