Avaliação do Óleo de Macaúba: Rendimento Extrativo, Qualidade, Índices Nutricionais e Perfil Lipídico do Biodiesel

Resumo

Vegetable oils have various industrial applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and bioenergy fields, but
economic valorization is mainly associated with cultivation, extraction, and their physical, chemical,
and biological properties. Thus, the aim of the study was to extract oil from the macaúba almond
(Acrocomia aculeata), a native species from the cerrado region, at an advanced stage of ripeness (i.e.,
collected two months after the mature fruit has fallen to the ground) and investigate its physicochemical
and anti-inflammatory characteristics, as well as its lipid and nutritional profile. Analytical methods
used were based on AOCS (American Oil Chemists Society) standards and ANVISA recommendations
and pharmacopoeial assays. The oil was obtained through artisanal extraction, with a yield of 26.18%
relative to the almond mass, a value higher than what is generally reported for this raw material. Based
on density, moisture content, refractive indices, acidity, peroxide, and saponification values, the oil meets
quality parameters. The atherogenicity and thrombogenicity index values indicate that macaúba almond
oil is less nutritionally suitable compared to fruit pulp and olive oils. Chromatographic data show that
the oil contains a high content of saturated fatty acids (70.48%), indicating its economic value addition
potential, especially in biodiesel production.