APPLICATION OF MACAÚBA OIL (Acrocomia aculeata) IN OBTAINING DIETARY TRIACYLGLYCEROLS IN A FIXED-BED REACTOR USING MYCELIUM-ASSOCIATED LIPASES

• Grant number: 24/22334-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Ariela Veloso de Paula
• Grantee: Maria Eduarda Morganti Fausto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, the pursuit of a more balanced and healthier diet has been intensifying, driving consumer interest in foods that offer health benefits. In this context, structured lipids, such as dietary triacylglycerols, stand out as they provide several advantages, including low caloric value, and can contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Within this scope, the research project aims to explore the potential of macaúba oil as a source of medium-long-chain triacylglycerols (MLM).The use of lipases-enzymes that catalyze esterification reactions-associated with the mycelium of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae (AO) represents an innovative and sustainable approach to producing functional foods. A distinguishing feature of this project is the use of a fixed-bed reactor for the acidolysis reaction, which offers advantages in terms of efficiency, productivity, and control of reaction parameters, such as temperature and pH. The project also seeks to optimize reaction conditions to maximize process efficiency.To achieve the proposed objectives, the project will be developed in several stages, including fungal cultivation, fungal biomass treatment, determination of the biomass's catalytic activity, and performing acidolysis reactions in a continuous mode. Tests will be conducted to evaluate the composition of the final products, including analyses of acidity index, oxidation, and fatty acid composition, using techniques such as gas chromatography.In this way, the project is expected to contribute to the production of dietary triacylglycerols with functional and health-promoting properties. The results will support the dissemination of knowledge and the practical application of discoveries in the field of food biotechnology. Additionally, the project aims to strengthen research in biocatalysts and the sustainable use of natural resources.