According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), food production must increase by 70% to feed the population in 2050, estimated at 9.7 billion people. Productions in developed countries would need almost double to meet demand, implying a significant increase in the production of several essential commodities. For example, exports of vegetable oils and oilseeds from developing countries would increase to 25 million tons (in oil equivalent). Given the technical and environmental challenges that already domesticated species present, new species are needed to meet global demands for vegetable oils. Macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata), a native Brazilian palm, has high productivity compared to the primary sources of vegetable oils sold worldwide. This work aimed to develop formulations composed of macaúba pulp oil (MPO) and fully hydrogenated macaúba kernel oil (FHMKO) through chemical interesterification. Mass proportions of 40/60, 50/50, 60/40, 70/30/ 80/20, 90/10, 100/0, 0/100 (MPO/FHMKO) were used. The formulations obtained before and after the interesterification reaction were characterized by analytical techniques such as fatty acid composition, triacylglycerol composition, solid fat content, crystallization kinetics, thermal behavior, polymorphism, microstructure, and consistency. After the modification reaction, it was observed, in general, the formation of new groups of triacylglycerols with intermediate molecular weight and a reduction in groups with lower and higher molecular weights, resulting in a reduction in solids at 25oC, a lower crystallization rate, a decrease in the of crystallization and fusion, coexistence of polymorphic habits b' and b, formation of a structured crystalline network with a predominance of needle-shaped crystals and wide ranges of application at temperatures of 15, 25 and 35oC. Therefore, it was possible to obtain formulations with plasticity characteristics and great strategic relevance for the food industry.
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.jpeg.jpg "Larissa Grimaldi, MA photo")
