DYNAMIC IN VITRO DIGESTIBILITY OF THE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE OF BRAZIL NUTS (Bertholletia excelsa) TREATED WITH SUPERCRITIC TECHNOLOGY

• Grant number: 25/15916-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Augusto Caldas Batista
• Grantee: Felipe Silvestre Botter
• Supervisor: Antonio Augusto Vicente
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade do Minho (UMinho), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/23581-3 - Improvement of the techno-functional properties of Brazil nut protein concentrate using supercritical technology, BP.IC

Abstract

The process of extracting oil from Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa) generates a defatted cake with a high protein content, exceeding 50% (m/m) of the composition, essentially characterizing it as a protein concentrate. The aim of this project is to assess the impact of treatment with supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO¿) on the in vitro digestibility of Brazil nut protein concentrate. Initially, the concentrate will be obtained by solid-liquid extraction with ethanol and treated under different conditions of temperature (40-60 °C) and pressure (100-300 bar) with sc-CO¿. The samples will be characterized for properties such as solubility, water and oil retention capacity, emulsifying properties and gel formation. The best condition will then be selected for evaluation of digestibility and bioaccessibility by simulating the human gastrointestinal tract using a dynamic in vitro system (DIVGIS) at the University of Minho (Portugal), a partner institution specializing in the subject. Digestibility will be monitored by UHPLC to identify and quantify bioactive peptides, with a focus on antihypertensive activity. It is hoped that treatment with sc-CO¿ will enhance the release of peptides with beneficial action, adding value to the protein concentrate and promoting its application as a viable and sustainable alternative to animal proteins in the food industry, as well as strengthening the Brazil nut production chain in the Amazon. (AU)