Unraveling the Potential of Baru ( Dipteryx alata Vog.) Fruit Fractions as a Sustainable Food Ingredient: Chemical and Technological Characteristics and Prebiotic Potential

Tainara Leal de Sousa, Josemar Gonçalves de Oliveira Filho, Isabelly de Campos Carvalho Cabassa, Ailton Cesar Lemes and Mariana Buranelo Egea ()
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Tainara Leal de Sousa: Agronomy Department, Agronomy School, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia 74690-900, GO, Brazil
Josemar Gonçalves de Oliveira Filho: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rodovia Araraquara, Jaú Km 1, Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil
Isabelly de Campos Carvalho Cabassa: Agronomy Department, Agronomy School, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia 74690-900, GO, Brazil
Ailton Cesar Lemes: School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21949-900, RJ, Brazil
Mariana Buranelo Egea: Goiano Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, Campus Rio Verde, Rod. Sul Goiana, Km 01, Cx Postal 66, Rio Verde 75901-970, GO, Brazil

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-18

Abstract: The baru is a native Brazilian Cerrado fruit known for its high nutritional and techno-functional value, with the potential to generate new food ingredients. Utilizing the entire baru fruit maximizes the use of all its components, reduces the environmental impact, minimizes waste, and contributes to the region’s sustainable development. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, technological properties, and prebiotic potential of baru by-products and nuts, aiming at their integral and sustainable utilization. For this purpose, baru fruits were collected, characterized in terms of biometrics, and separated into pericarp (by-product) and nuts. The nutritional composition, fatty acid profile, bioactive compounds, techno-functional properties, and prebiotic potential were characterized in the roasted almonds and the by-products. The results indicated that the baru meal had a high protein content (33.09 g/100 g), the lowest atherogenic and thrombogenic indices (0.09 and 0.10, respectively), and the highest antioxidant capacity in the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. Additionally, the baru meal showed high levels of potassium (14.05 g/100 g), magnesium (2.20 g/100 g), and iron (61.80 g/100 g). The mesocarp stood out for its higher total phenolic content (157.48 mg GAE/100 g) and enhanced water solubility (63.90 g/g). The baru almond flour showed the best results for water absorption capacity (3.62 g/g), oil absorption capacity (3.28 g/g), emulsifying activity (71.94%), emulsion stability (87.69%), and foaming capacity (8.17%). In terms of prebiotic activity, the endocarp fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus (0.76 log CFU/mL) and the mesocarp fermented by Bifidobacterium animalis (0.62 log CFU/mL) presented the best results. These findings demonstrate that baru by-products have the potential for full utilization, contributing to the sustainable development of underexplored plant species.

Keywords: prebiotic activity; Cerrado; nutritional composition; by-products (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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