Valuation of amazonian fruit pressing cakes: extraction of residual lipids and proteins using non-conventional technologies

• Grant number: 24/02997-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Christianne Elisabete da Costa Rodrigues
• Grantee: Paola de Cássia Franco Visioli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Amazon Biome has a vast and unique biodiversity, housing several plant species used as sources of oils and fats. Thus, the productive chain of Amazonian vegetable oils is fundamental for the region's sustainable development. These chains drive the search for production technologies that add value, increase yield, and respect natural resources. The pressing cakes are presented as valuable by-products of the production chains of vegetable oils and fats since they consist of solid material rich in proteins and bioactive compounds, besides presenting considerable content of residual lipids. However, even with great potential for application in several industrial segments, the pressing cakes are underutilized, mainly intended for animal feed and as soil fertilizers. Therefore, in the context of sustainable development, this thesis proposal aims to valorize Amazonian fruit-pressing cakes through fractionation by obtaining lipids and proteins. Non-conventional technologies such as ultrasound-assisted extraction and pulsed electric field are suggested for obtaining proteins and membrane technology to purify the protein extracts. It is also suggested that the residual lipid fraction be recovered using absolute ethanol as a solvent to increase the supply of oils and fats from the Amazon Biome.