Farinhas de acerola e maracujá enriquecidas com óleo de linhaça

Abstract

Fruits present high perishability, and their transformation into flours represents an alternative for the utilization of less attractive raw materials and for the diversification of food ingredients. In this context, there is a growing demand for foods that are sources of essential fatty acids, such as α-linolenic acid (n-3), found in flaxseed oil (Linum usitatissimum L.).In this study, flours were produced from whole passion fruit (MA) pulps, including seeds, and acerola (AC) pulps, enriched with flaxseed oil (5 and 10% w/w), aiming to evaluate the effects of oil addition on proximate composition, physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and fatty acid profile. The pulps were dried at 60 °C and subsequently ground. The incorporation of flaxseed oil promoted changes in the overall characteristics of the formulations, resulting in increased lipid content and proportional reductions in moisture, carbohydrates, and fiber, while protein contents remained stable. pH varied according to the fruit; for acerola, no significant differences were observed between pulp and flour, whereas in passion fruit, the addition of oil influenced this parameter, suggesting a buffering effect. A reduction in total phenolic compounds was observed in flours enriched with oil; however, passion fruit flours exhibited preserved antioxidant activity, indicating a possible synergistic effect between the natural bioactive compounds of the matrix and flaxseed oil. The lipid profile was significantly improved, with increased levels of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially α-linolenic acid (n-3), improved PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios, and reduced atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices. These results demonstrate the nutritional and functional potential of the enriched flours, indicating their feasibility for application as value-added ingredients.