Physical properties of Amazonian fats and oils and their blends

Author(s)

Pereira, Ericsem ^[1] ; Ferreira, Marcela Cravo ^[1] ; Sampaio, Klicia Araujo ^[1] ; Grimaldi, Renato ^[2] ; de Almeida Meirelles, Antonio Jose ^[1] ; Maximo, Guilherme Jose ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Food Engn, Lab Extract Appl Thermodynam & Equilibrium EXTRAE, 80 Monteriro Lobato St, BR-13083062 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Food Engn, Fats & Oils Lab, 957-1017 Bertrand Russel St, BR-13083861 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Food Chemistry; v. 278, p. 208-215, APR 25 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 6

Abstract

Considering their diversity, this work evaluated physical properties of Amazonian fats/oils (murumuru, tucuma kernel, bacuri, pracaxi, patawa, and Brazil nut). Solid fat content (SFC) curves and crystallization/melting profiles were determined. We also explored the possibilities of combining these lipids into blends to improve their nutritional and technological aspects. Patawa, pracaxi, and Brazil nut oils presented high levels of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, displaying low atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indexes (0.10 and 0.18; 0.23 and 0.70; 0.20 and 0.42), respectively. The SFC curves showed that murumuru fat could be used as a cocoa butter replacer, whereas bacuri fat was found to be a promising alternative to hydrogenated oils in shortenings and spreads formulations. The blends expanded fats' melting ranges and enriched their fatty acid compositions from a nutritional standpoint. This work shows that these fats, oils and their blends may be suitable for developing new products in the food industry. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/08566-1 - Phase equilibrium thermodynamics for the improvement of physical properties of food bioproducts and their prediction in industrial and digestive processes
• Grantee: Guilherme José Maximo
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/16979-7 - Development of predictive methodologies for calculating physical and equilibrium properties and simulation of fluid dynamics behavior of fats and oils during the digestive process
• Grantee: Ericsem Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate