Abstract

Babassu, the popular name for palm trees native to South America belonging to the genus Attalea, has great economic viability through products derived from this plant. Among this wide diversity, the oil extracted from its seeds has great potential for use as an alternative source of biofuels. This study aimed to analyze the content and physicochemical properties of Attalea compta seeds oil. Fruits were obtained from different populations located in the northwestern region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and the seeds were extracted. The lipid content was obtained by the hot extraction method, using continuous reflux with solvent in a Goldfish equipment, and the yield calculated gravimetrically. Acidity, moisture, viscosity, and fatty acid profile analyses were performed using crude oil extracted by cold mechanical pressing, with subsequent centrifugation to separate impurities. The average lipid content obtained from different accessions of these studied populations was 49.96% of area A, 50.42% of area B, and 57.10% of area C. The oil’s acidity index was 0.09 mg KOH/g, while the moisture content seeds and viscosity obtained from these analyses were 5.60% and 37.61 mm²/s, respectively. The fatty acid profile assay, using gas chromatography, identified a high concentration of saturated fats, especially lauric acid, with 38.68% of the oil’s composition. Other relevant saturated fatty acids were also identified. This composition confers high stability and resistance to oxidation to the oil, and the high oil content found in A. compta seeds, together with the physical and chemical analyses performed, demonstrate its potential for use in agroindustry as bioenergy.

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