Chemical characterization and oxidative stability of the oils from three morphotypes of Mauritia flexuosa L.f, from the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

Three morphotypes of aguaje Mauritia flexuosa were tested, classified by the color of their mesocarpium: “color”, “shambo” and “amarillo”, collected from different areas near the city of Iquitos, Peru. Also, physical-chemical analyses of the mesocarpium were performed, such as the characterization of fatty acids by gas chromatography, determination of β- carotene y α – tocopherol by high efficiency liquid chromatography system in normal and reverse phase and the determination of oxidation induction time in the Rancimat apparatus. Proximate, mineral and fatty acid analyses were done on the seeds. The aguaje mesocarpium is rich in oleic oil (“amarillo”: 75.63% ± 0.31), β-carotene (“amarillo”: 342.42ug/g ± 0.71) and α- tocopherol (“color”: 685.81mg/L ± 1.04), plus the morphotype “color” has a superior oxidation induction time compared to other morphotypes with 6.91 ± 0.01. The aguaje seed contains significant amounts of ω6 (linoleic oil) in “shambo” with 36.04 ± 0.09%. The results indicate that these oils, regardless their classification, contain important chemical compounds that give them a special nutritive value.