DESENVOLVIMENTO E CARACTERIZAÇÃO DE EMULSÕES CONTENDO ÓLEO DE GUEROBA (Syagrus oleracea Becc.)

Abstract

Gueroba is a typical palm tree from the Cerrado region. The oil extracted from its fruits or trunk constitutes its main product for application in the food and cosmetics industry. The objective of the present study was to obtain gueroba almond oil for the development of oil/water emulsions. The oil was extracted by mechanical pressing, obtaining an approximate yield of 28% m/m. After selecting the emulsifier and carrying out preliminary tests, emulsions were prepared containing Polysorbate 80 and Xanthan gum at different concentrations and storage temperatures (8 °C and 25 °C). The systems created were characterized in terms of creaming stability, electrical conductivity and pH. The emulsions produced containing emulsifier and xanthan gum remained stable for 7 days and those containing only the emulsifier showed phase separation within 1 day after preparation. The creamation index of these destabilized samples was lower when stored at lower temperature. It was not possible to conclude on the behavior of electrical conductivity and pH over the days of storage, but the study indicates a potential for industrial application of gueroba oil, aiming at an efficient use of the whole species.