Valor nutricional da polpa de açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart) liofilizada

Abstract

Brazil is the biggest producer, consumer and exporter of açaí drink, made from the açaí palm's fruit. This drink or açaí pulp is usually commercialized under room temperature or in a frozen way resulting in important nutritional losses. This study aimed to evaluate some nutrients from the lyophilized açaí pulp. Humidity, total solids, ash and total lipids values were analyzed using the AOAC method. Carbohydrates including fibers were calculated by difference and the total nitrogen values were investigated by AACC method. Mineral concentration was analyzed in a mass spectrophotometer and fats by methyl esters preparation identified in a gas chromatography. Results from analytical determinations showed that the powder product is a very caloric food, 489.39 Kcal/ 100 g lyophilized pulp, specially due to the high lipid contents (40.75%), from which 52.70% are represented by oleic acid (C18:1) and 25.56% by the palmitic (C16:0). Total carbohydrate content was 42.53% ± 3.56 and the protein's was 8.13 g ± 0.63/100 g. Mineral profile evaluation demonstrated that the potassium (900 mg/100 g lyophilized açaí) and the calcium (330 mg/100 g lyophilized açaí) were the minerals observed in abundance. Magnesium has also shown important concentrations (124.4 mg/100 g lyophilized açaí), different from the iron (4.5 mg/100 g lyophilized açaí). Based on the results obtained on the nutritional composition evaluation of the lyophilized açaí pulp, it is possible to conclude that this process can be considered as an excellent alternative for preserving this pulp due to the important nutritional compounds found in it.