Caracterização e estudo de estabilidade do óleo de amêndoa da macaúba proveniente do cerrado norte mineiro.

Abstract

The macauba is a palm tree found throughout the country and abundant in the northern savanna of Minas Gerais. With the help of support institutions, cooperatives are able to process native macauba fruits, through the practice of sustainable extraction, or which play a crucial role in the local economy, while promoting biodiversity conservation. The macauba fruit is divided into four parts: epicarp (skin), mesocarp (pulp), endocarp and almond. Specifically from the almond, obtain edible oil and flour for application in sweets, baked goods and drinks. The objectives of this study were to characterize the macaubaalmond oil collected by the Rural Workers Cooperative of RiachoD’anta and Surroundings located in the rural area of Mirabela, MG. Determine the shelf life of oil stored under different conditions. The almonds were collected by agroextractive families and broken at the cooperative's factory. In the university laboratories, these were separated from the endocarp, bleached and prepared for cold pressing, the process of which was carried out at the Grande SertãoAgroextractive Cooperative in Montes Claros, MG. The oil obtained was characterized in terms of moisture content, volatile materials, density, saponification index, acidity and peroxide index using methodologies 334/IV, 337/IV and 328/IV from the Adolfo Lutz Institute. The fatty acid profile was also determined by gas chromatography coupled to a mass detector (GC-MS). Furthermore, study its stability through accelerated tests. The oil had an acidity value of 1.40 mg KOH/g and a peroxide value of 2.82 meq/kg, meeting the standards required by Brazilian legislation. The levels obtained for moisture, volatile materials and density were, respectively, 1.07%, 0.92 g/mL and 285 mg KOH. Regarding the fatty acid profile, the largest fraction found was lauric acid, 47.6%, followed by oleic acid, 27.2%. Therefore, macauba almond oil has a lauric acid content similar to coconut oil and an important content of oleic acid, a compound that provides several benefits to human health. It was found that the best storage condition for the oil was with light protection, mainly at a temperature of 25ºC, in which the oil presented a stability of 551 days, significantly prolonged compared to storage without protection. Therefore, the oil produced in regions in the North of Minas Gerais presented predominant quality parameters, reducing its predictions for food use, which will contribute to the promotion of health and regional development.