Characterization of palm tree fruit oils from Brazilian Amazonia region

Abstract

The physicochemical characteristics, yield and fatty acid composition of pulp oils from bacaba (Oenocarpus distichus) pataua (Jessenia bataua) and tucuma (Astrocaryum vulgare) and kernel fats from tucuma and muru-muru (Astrocaryum murumuru), all obtained from palm tree fruits collected in the brazilian rain forest (Amazonia region), were determined. The pulp oils belong to the oleic group (≥ 57% oleic acid) and the kernel fats to the lauric group (≥ 77% lauric acid).