Ripe and unripe inaja (Maximilia maripa) fruit: A new high source of added value bioactive compounds

Flours obtained from unripe and ripe inaja palm tree fruit pulp, as well as co-products that were generated after oil extraction, were evaluated for the first time. In addition, the oils extracted using ethanol as a solvent were also analyzed. The oils showed similar thermal characteristics, such as thermal stability up to about 253 degrees C, while also presenting a rich composition of phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and carotenoid content. Concerning the raw flours and their defatted counterparts, their free and bound phenolic compounds, which comprised gallic acid, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and m-coumaric acid, were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Moreover, the defatting process improved thermal stability and decreased the peak viscosity of the unripe and ripe flours. The presence of starch and bioactive compounds in all the inaja flours provides a rationale for the development of new food and nonfood products.