Composition of the oil from tucuma pulp (Astrocaryum vulgaryum)

Abstract

Pulp of the tucuma fruit (widely eaten in Brazil) was extracted by ethyl ether and the oil analysed for acid, iodine and saponification numbers and fatty acid composition. Tabulated results show high acidity (12%, attributed to enzymic hydrolysis), iodine number 71, and the following fatty acid composition: C16:0, 9.4%; C18:0, 13.0%; C18:1, 59.6%; C18:2, 11.9%; C18:3, 2.4%; and C20:0, 1.0%. Unsaponifiable lipids accounted for 0.6%. The high % of oleic and linoleic acid suggested that the oil could be a valuable food product.