Potencial prebiótico da polpa e torta da amêndoa do jerivá (Syagrus romanzoffiana) e da macaúba (Acromia aculeata)

Abstract

Jerivá (Syagrusromanzoffiana) and macaúba (Acrocomiaaculeata) are Latin Americannative palm trees belonging to the Arecaceae family, widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas, have low production costs and produce large amounts of fruits throughout the year.Both jerivá and macaúba pulp and kernel have nutritional relevance, especially about fiber content. In addition, due to the high lipid content of these kernels, fruits have been used for oil extraction. In this process kernel cake (remnant solids) is obtained, a nutritionally rich byproduct that can be inserted into human food and that, like pulp, may have prebiotic potential. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize and evaluate the prebiotic potential of jerivá and macaúba pulp and kernel cake to increase the diversity of prebiotic foods with low consumed and economically viable fruits. For this, the characterization of these fruits was carried out regarding the proximate composition, phenolic content and antioxidant activity, besides evaluating the antimicrobial and fermentative capacity of the samples with the bacteria Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Escherichia coli. The results showed that jerivá and macaúba pulps and kernels cakes are nutritionally rich in terms of dietary fiber content (20.45% for PJ, 37.87% TJ, 19.95% PM and 35.81% TM) and antioxidant activity, especially PJ, which in addition to the high antioxidant activity by the ABTS and DPPH method (2498.49 µMTrolox / g fruit and 96.97 g fruit / g DPPH, respectively) has a high total phenolic content (850.62 mg GAE / 100 g). In addition, PJ promoted the highest growth of probiotic strains and the most significant pH reduction when compared to FOS (commercial prebiotic), but PM, TJ, and TM were also able to favor the growth of the evaluated strains. From the fermentation of the evaluated samples, the probiotic microorganisms produced short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as lactic, propionic, butyric and acetic acid, which may provide benefits to the health of individuals, showing that the fruits have relevant characteristics as potential prebiotics.