Chemical composition of umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arr. Cam) seeds

The umbu tree (Spondias tuberosa Arr. Cam) is an important fruit tree the economy of the semi-arid northeastern region of Brazil. With the objective of finding use for the seeds, physical and chemical characterizations of the seeds from 2 cultivars in 2 maturation stages were carried out and their fatty acid and mineral profiles determined. The results showed no differences between the seeds analyzed. The yield was about 10% and the dimensions as follows: length from 1.48 to 2.11 cm and width from 0.76 to 1.16 cm. The average lipid content was 55% of which 69% was unsaturated and the average protein content was 24%. The seeds were a good source of the following minerals: P, K, Mg, Fe and Cu. The overall results indicated that the oil or the seeds could be used for food stuffs if no toxic agents were found.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Borges,Soraia Vilela, Maia,Maria Cristina Antun, Gomes,Rita de Cássia Morgado, Cavalcanti,Nilton Brito
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Química 2007
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-40422007000100011
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