Chemical characterization of baru oil and its by-product from the northwest region of Minas Gerais, Brazil

L.A. Borgesa, R.N.B. Soutob, A.L.A. Nascimentoc, J.F. Soaresb, C.L. Paivab, I.V. Brandib and J.P. Limab,* aDepartment of Food Engineering and Technology, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil bInstitute of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais UFMG, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil cDepartment of Food Technology, Federal University of Viçosa UFV, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil Corresponding author: juliana-pinto-lima@ica.ufmg.br


INTRODUCTION
The Brazilian savanna or Cerrado is the second largest biome in Brazil and is considered one of the richest savannas in the world and is recognized for its biodiversity due to its great plant diversity (Oliveira-Alves et al., 2020). However, a large number of endemic fruit species remain unexplored despite their high nutritional and economic potential (Schiassi et al., 2018). Because of the area's rich biodiversity, it is important to investigate the nutritional composition and technological and commercial potential of exotic fruits in order to contribute to the preservation of native biomes and the diversification of the human diet.
The baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) is an oleaginous which is native to the Cerrado that deserves to be considered. It produces a light brown drupoid fruit that contains an elliptical dark brown edible seed called the baru almond (Bento et al., 2014). Studies have reported that baru almonds are rich in high-quality proteins, lipids, unsaturated fatty acids (especially oleic and linoleic acids), dietary fibers, phenolic compounds (e.g., gallic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, vanillin, and catechin), tocopherols, and minerals (such as iron, zinc, and magnesium) (Campidelli et al., 2020;Lima et al., 2020;Oliveira-Alves et al., 2020). Among the constituents present in the baru almond, the oily fraction has quality characteristics and a good balance of fatty acids, especially those of highly unsaturated fatty acids which are required by the food industry (Pineli et al., 2015a).
In addition, the extraction of baru oil by mechanical pressing generates processing residues, known as partially defatted bran. This by-product contains a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibers, proteins, and minerals such as iron (Caetano et al., 2017). Thus, baru bran has nutritional relevance as human food, and prevents the improper disposal of large amounts of waste into the environment. In addition, it contributes to the preservation of native species and sustainable regional development. Lima et al. (2020) developed and evaluated the technological quality and sensory profile of a nutritive bar produced from baru almond by-products, and reported that the product maintained the nutritional characteristics and bioactive compounds. Formulations with 75 and 100% baru almond obtained favorable results in sensorial tests. Caetano et al. (2017) prepared oat cookies by replacing 100% soy oil with baru oil and 30% wheat flour with partially defatted baru flour. They reported that the cookies offered high protein and dietary fiber contents, along with substantial concentrations of oleic acid and iron. Therefore, the results from these studies reinforce the possibility of using this residue in human nutrition.
It is worthwhile to consider the applicability of baru bran and oil in food formulations and to study the nutritional potential of these alternative vegetable sources. Prior to this study, there were no studies on these raw materials from the Brazilian Savanna in the northwest of Minas Gerais, which strengthens the originality of this study. This study aimed to investigate the quality, carotenoid content, and fatty acid profile of baru almond oil from the northwest region of Minas Gerais, and to evaluate the chemical composition and nutritional potential of partially defatted baru flour.

Plant material
The baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) used to carry out the experiments was donated by an agro-industry located in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The samples were obtained during the harvest season (between August and September 2017) from the Brazilian Savanna, in Arinos Town located in the northwest of the Minas Gerais State (coordinates: 15° 55' 01" S and 46° 06' 21" W, and altitude of 927 m). The procedure described below was carried according to the processes used for extraction in communities where the collection and sustainable management of baru are common practices.
The fruits that fall to the ground were collected and only ripe fruits of uniform size and without injuries were selected. In other words, when the baru fruit is at its proper ripening point, the plants are practically leafless; the fruits detach from the trees and fall naturally to the ground. After harvesting, the fruits were dried naturally in the sun for 1-3 days (28 ± 2 °C). The producers had already established the practice of collecting baru for extraction, by observing whether the fruits were properly dry and suitable for the removal of the almond. Otherwise, the fruits were left a little longer in sun to dry, the time for this may vary.
The almonds were then removed with a manual breaker consisting of a handmade guillotine with a blade fitted to a wooden structure. The baru fruit was placed under this structure and was broken with the aid of the blade to remove the almond. Subsequently, the almonds were packed in low-density polyethylene bags and immediately sent for oil extraction.

Extraction of oil and obtaining partially defatted baru flour
The oil was extracted and the partially defatted baru flour (PDBF) was obtained at the Cooperativa dos Agricultores Familiares e Agroextrativistas Grande Sertão Ltda, Brazil. The almonds were subjected to a drying process, which was carried out in an industrial machine called grain conditioner (SMR 610, Scott Tech, São Paulo, Brazil), built specifically used to promote the pre-heating of oily matrices to facilitate oil extraction. The samples were kept at 55 °C for 15 min. After that, the baru oil was extracted by cold mechanical pressing using a continuous press type "Expeller" (Scott Tech) with an extraction capacity of 200 mL of oil/min, at the nominal power of 1.5 kW, and electrical voltage of 220 V. Pressing was performed with 5 kg of almonds and the oil extraction yield was calculated based on the total mass of almonds in relation to the mass of oil obtained. The final yield of the process was 22% crude oil. After pressing, the crude oil was submitted to decantation (3 h) and then filtered through filter press (Ecirtec, São Paulo, Brazil). The baru oil was packed in hermetically sealed bottles of 250 mL and stored (7 ± 1 °C) until analysis. The partially defatted baru bran was ground, packed in low-density polyethylene bags and frozen (-18 ± 1 °C) until use.

Determination of the fatty acid profile in baru almond oil
The analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) (tetradecanoic, palmitic, heptadecanoic, stearic, arachidic, behenic, lignoceric, palmitoleic, cis-10-heptadecenoic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and eicosenoic acids) was conducted using a gas chromatograph Agilent 68650 with plus detector (quadrupole, electron impact) and autoinjector. Briefly, chromatographic analyses were performed using a column DB-23 Agilent (cyanopropil-methylsiloxane) of 60 m in length, 0.25 mm internal diameter and 0.25 mm film thickness. Identification of the peaks was performed by comparison with the retention time of standards (Supelco 37 component FAME Mix, Sigma-Aldrich) of known concentrations of each and mass spectra (ratio m/z) and compared to the internal database. The fatty acids were quantified by peak areas correlated to the response factors of the detector. These factors were determined for each FAME in the internal standard mix by comparing the unit area of each peak to the unit area of the fatty acid methyl ester peak investigated.

Determination of the carotenoids and vitamin A content in baru almond oil
Carotenoids were extracted according to the methodology proposed by Rodriguez-Amaya (2001) and the analysis followed the chromatographic condition developed by Pinheiro-Sant'ana et al. (1998). The analysis were performed by High Performance Liquid Chromatografy (HPLC), using a Phenomenex Gemini RP-18 chromatography column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm i.d.), fitted with a Phenomenex ODS guard column (C18) (4 mm × 3 mm), at room temperature and the injection volume varied from 5 to 100 µL, according to the sample. The mobile phase consisted of methanol:ethyl acetate:acetonitrile (80:10:10, v/v). The mobile phase flow rate was 2.0 mL/min, isocratic, during 12 min. The quantification was performed by comparing peak areas to those obtained from the analytical curve constructed from the injection, in duplicate, of six different concentrations of standard solutions (lutein, α-carotene and β-carotene).
The total carotenoids in the oil samples were determined according to the procedure described by Rodriguez-Amaya (2001). The spectrophotometer used was Thermo Scientific (Evolution 60S, USA) and the absorbance of extracts was measured at 449 nm using n-hexane as blank.
The vitamin A content in baru oil was determined from each precursor carotenoid, considering the conversion rate of 6 µg β-carotene to 1 µg retinol and 12 µg α-carotene to 1 µg retinol, as advised by the Codex Alimentarius (FAO, 1985). The results were expressed in µg Retinol Equivalent -RE·100 g -1 .

Centesimal composition and total phenolics of the partially defatted baru flour
The centesimal composition of the PDBF was obtained based on the methods recommended by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC, 2016). The moisture analysis was performed by drying in an oven at 105 ºC until constant weight. Protein content was determined using the Kjeldahl method with a correction factor of 6.25. The lipids were quantified by direct extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus for 6 h, using petroleum ether as solvent. The ash analysis was done by muffle incineration at 550 °C. Soluble and insoluble dietary fibers were determined according to the gravimetric-enzymatic method using enzymes (α-amylase, protease and amyloglucosidase). Digestible carbohydrates were obtained by difference. The determination of the energy value was performed using the Atwater conversion factors for carbohydrates (4.0 kcal·g -1 ), proteins (4.0 kcal·g -1 ) and lipids (9.0 kcal·g -1 ) (FAO, 1985). Food components and energy values were expressed in % and kcal·g -1 , respectively.
Total phenolics were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent method (Waterhouse, 2002), using gallic acid (0.2-1.4 mg·ml -1 ) as the standard for the calibration curve. The absorbance was measured at 750 nm with a spectrophotometer, and the results were expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)·100 g -1 .

Mineral characterization of the partially defatted baru flour
The methodology used to quantify the minerals was based on acidic digestion overnight according to Kumari and Platel (2017). For that, 5 mL of nitric acid were added to 0.5 g of each ground sample for pre-digestion overnight. The following day, the samples were heated to 90-120 ºC on a heating plate for complete digestion. The obtained products were filtered with ultrapure water in a volumetric flask and the separated extract was analyzed in an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Varian AA 240 FS), as well as the standard solutions of each element. The minerals evaluated were Calcium (Ca), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn) and Zinc (Zn), and the results were expressed in mg·100 g -1 of sample.

Statistical analysis
The results were expressed as a mean value ± standard deviation (SD) for three measurements (n = 3), and calculated using SISVAR Software, version 5.6 (Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil).

Physicochemical characteristics of baru almond oil
The results for the acidity and peroxide index obtained in this study (Table 1) comply with the standards established by Codex Alimentarius (FAO, 2019) for cold-pressed oils, giving values lower than the recommended maximum limits (4.0 mg KOH·g -1 for acidity and 15 meq O 2 ·kg -1 for peroxide). According to Siqueira et al. (2016), a low acidity index indicates that a high-quality raw material and processing method were used. In addition, the peroxide content expresses the presence of hydroperoxides, the primary oil oxidation products formed during the initial stages of oxidation that are toxic to humans. According to the Codex Alimentarius (FAO, 2019), the saponification values are 168-181, 186-198, and 188-194 mg KOH·g -1 for rapeseed, safflower, and sunflower oils, respectively, which have similar degrees of unsaturation to that of baru oil. The iodine index measures the degree of unsaturated fatty acids (Siqueira et al., 2016); the value for baru oil in this study (92.50 g·100 g -1 ) was lower than that of rapeseed (94-120 g·100 g -1 ), safflower (136-148 g·100 g -1 ), and sunflower (118-141 g·100 g -1 ) oils (FAO, 2019). Although physicochemical characteristics vary according to the plant variety and environmental and post-harvest conditions (Soares et al., 2021), the iodine, acidity, and peroxide index values for baru oil were similar to those reported in other studies. Pineli et al. (2015a) and Siqueira et al. (2016) extracted baru oil by cold pressing and obtained values ranging from 72.90 to 97.68 g I 2 ·100 g -1 , 0.28 to 0.44 mg KOH·g -1 , and 1.61 to 4.33 meq O 2 ·kg -1 , for iodine, acidity, and peroxide indices, respectively. The results obtained in our study demonstrate that baru fit in with the quality standards; this can be mainly attributed to post-harvest conditions. Crude vegetable oils generally have different colors compared to commercial and refined oils, mainly because of the presence of unremoved pigments like carotenoids (Sulihatimarsyila et al., 2020). This is likely because of the carotenoid content in baru oil, as these are the main source of the yellow/red color in oils.

Fatty acids profile of baru almond oil
Baru almond oil mainly contained monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and a significant amount of saturated fatty acids (SFA), with values of 48.77, 29.09, and 21.84%, respectively ( Table 2). The high degree of unsaturation was due to the predominance of oleic (45.83%) and linoleic (28.93%) acids. This result was expected, considering that unsaturated fatty acids are most commonly found in vegetable oils. The considerable PUFA content may cause lipid oxidation due to the presence of double bonds which affect oil stability. However, the presence of tocopherol (vitamin E) in the oil acts as an antioxidant because this molecule donates its phenolic hydrogens to free radicals, thus mitigating the oxidation process in the product (Lemos et al., 2016). Palmitic acid was the SFA with the highest concentration (6.37%) in baru oil, followed by stearic acid (5.28%). The values found in this study are in line with the range applied by Codex standards for peanut oil: palmitic acid (5-14%), oleic acid (35-80%), and linoleic acid (4-43.0%) (FAO, 2019).
Among the fatty acids found in baru oil, the percentage of oleic acid (ω-9) was the highest. According to Pereira et al. (2018), oils that have monounsaturated fatty acids in the carbon chain have received increasing interest because they help preserve the characteristics of the oil and provide high stability, making them less prone to oxidative reactions. A high consumption of oleic acid decreases the con- centrations of plasma triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and is a protective factor against the development of cardiovascular diseases (Marcelino et al., 2019). Linoleic acid is considered to be essential since it cannot be synthesized by the human body. In this study, the percentage of linoleic acid was significantly higher than that recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This, in association with presence of fibers and bioactive compounds, may contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (Bento et al., 2014). The essential fatty acids, linoleic (ω-6) and linolenic (ω-3) acids, affect various physiological processes and act in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, reducing atherosclerotic plaque and thrombosis, and consequently, the risk of stroke (CVA) (Lemos et al., 2016). Thus, baru oil can be added to other commercial oils in food preparation to provide health benefits.

Carotenoids and vitamin A content in baru almond oil
As shown in Table 3, the sum of carotenoid values did not correspond to the total carotenoids. This can be explained by the use of different analytical techniques, e.g., the greater HPLC method sensitivity, and by the possible presence of other carotenoids than lutein, and α-and β-carotenes in baru oil. The total carotenoid content was lower in baru almond oil (15.68 mg·100 g -1 ) than in virgin palm oil (55.34 mg·100 g -1 ) but higher than in refined canola oil (0.0084 mg·100 g -1 ) (Mba et al., 2017). Differences in cultivar type, climatic and growing conditions, maturation degree, oil processing, extraction and quantification methods, storage conditions, and other factors might explain these variations in total carotenoid values.
The lutein value (0.91 µg·100 g -1 ) in this work was higher only in comparison to commercial canola and sunflower oils that exhibit nondetectable levels of lutein (Flakelar et al., 2017). However, the lutein content of baru oil was much lower than that of crude canola oil (3160 µg·100 g -1 ) and commercial olive oil (976 µg·100 g -1 ) (Flakelar et al., 2017). The β-carotene content in baru oil was higher (0.24 mg 100 g -1 ) than in commercial sunflower (0.14 mg·100 g -1 ) and canola oils (not detected) (Flakelar et al., 2017). However, the β-carotene content was slightly lower compared to crude canola oil (0.41 mg·100 g -1 ) and commercial olive oil (0.31 mg·100 g -1 ) (Flakelar et al., 2017). The α-carotene content of 1.05 mg·100 g -1 was observed in the present study. This fraction was not detected in the research conducted by Soares et al. (2021) in the oil extracted from buriti, which is another fruit commonly found in the Cerrado.
The quantification of carotenoids is necessary because these compounds have antioxidant properties, and provide photoprotection and provitamin A activity (Resende and Franca, 2019). Furthermore, studies suggest an essential role of dietary intake and nutritional supplementation of carotenoids in the protection against eye diseases including macular degeneration (Arunkumar et al., 2020). Campidelli et al. (2020) reported high levels of antioxidants (measured by the β-carotene/linoleic acid system) in baru almonds; this is an important result for the attenuation of oxidative reactions. The vitamin A content found in the baru oil of the present study was 127.5 µg RE·100 g -1 . According to the Codex Alimentarius (FAO, 1985) this value supplies approximately 16% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for individuals older than 36 months. It is important to highlight that this content may be higher, considering that baru oil may contain other provitamin-A carotenoids that were not quantified in this study. Added to food, baru oil can increase vitamin A intake in the diet.

Centesimal composition and total phenolics of the partially defatted baru flour
As seen in Table 4, the moisture content in PDBF (5.10%) is close to that found (6.53%) by Caetano et al. (2017) in baru bran from Goiás State, an area in the Cerrado. This variation is probably associated with the differences in the processes used to obtain flour. The dehydration process applied to baru almonds to remove excess free water can increase flour preservation by disfavoring microbial growth. The ash content (4.12%) was higher than that of Table 3. Carotenoid and vitamin A content in baru almond oil

Analytical Determinations
Baru almond oil a Total carotenoids (mg·100g -1 ) 15.68 ± 6.78 Lutein (µg·100g -1 ) 0.91 ± 0.81 α-carotene (mg·100g -1 ) 1.05 ± 0.35 β-carotene (mg·100g -1 ) 0.24 ± 0.01 Vitamin A (µg RE·100g -1 ) 127.5 ± 0.41 a Mean value ± standard deviation (n = 3). Data are represented in fresh weight. nuts such as Brazil nuts (3.4%), cashew nuts (2.6%), roasted, salted almonds (1.5%), and walnuts (2.1%) (NEPA, 2011). The ash percentage reflects the total amount of minerals present in the PDBF. The details of the most important minerals in this fraction are discussed below. The percentage of lipids determined in this study (25.12%) was higher than the value (12.59%) reported by Siqueira et al. (2015) but lower than the value (56.12%) reported by Caetano et al. (2017) for baru bran obtained from Goiás. Although baru almonds were subjected to oil extraction, the lipid content in PDBF was not low because mechanical pressing was unable to remove all the oily content from this product. The mechanical pressing, considered a "clean technology," is an interesting alternative because it does not use toxic chemicals and does not alter the structure of the extracted oil. The lipid content found in this study can be interesting from a nutritional point of view because according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, 2020), 100 g of PDBF can supply 32.2% of RDI for adults and children aged 4 years and older, and for pregnant and lactating women. However, high-fat levels can favor hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity that can cause sensory changes in flour. Owing to its large amount of lipids, PDBF can become more susceptible to rancidification if improperly stored. Therefore, efficient conservation techniques must be implemented.
The protein content in PDBF (34.42%) detected in this study was higher than the value (22.96%) verified by Campidelli et al. (2020) in baru almond obtained from Mato Grosso, another region of the Cerrado. Moreover, the results of the present study indicate much higher protein levels than those found for other fruit by-products of the Cerrado such as pequi peel (5.30%) (Bemfeito et al., 2020). In addition, the flour obtained in this study showed a higher protein content than other commercial flour such as wheat (9.8%), corn (7.2%), and rye (12.5%) (NEPA, 2011). It should also be noted that the protein content in 100 g of PDBF supplies 68.84% of RDI (FDA, 2020). Thus, PDBF has great potential in food preparation as a partial replacement for cereal flour because of its high protein content.
The total dietary fiber value (18.31%) present in PDBF in this study was close to that (16.12%) reported by Siqueira et al. (2015) in baru bran but significantly lower than those found for other fruit residues such as banana (40.94%), mango (39.25%), and watermelon (46.20%) peels (Garcia-Amezquita et al., 2018). However, PDBF showed a higher fiber content than cashew nuts (3.7%) and Brazil nuts (7.9%) (NEPA, 2011). The dietary fiber content in 100 g of PDBF supplies 65.39% RDI (FDA, 2020), more than half of the recommended daily value. The percentage of soluble fiber (4.07%) was higher in PDBF than in fruit by-products such as orange (3.74%), tamarind (3.86%), and watermelon (3.17%) (Garcia-Amezquita et al., 2018). The value for insoluble fibers (14.24%) obtained in this study was higher than that observed in pumpkin pulp flour (11.25%) (Bemfeito et al., 2020). Thus, the dietary fiber content indicates that PDBF is a good source of fiber. It is important to mention that these components are associated with many benefits to human health including reduced risk of coronary heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer (Resende and Franca, 2019), reduction in glycemic response, and improvements in intestinal functions, among others.
As shown in Table 4, PDBF had a digestible carbohydrate content (12.93%) higher than the value (11.59%) reported by Caetano et al. (2017) for baru bran. This variation in the carbohydrate profile is probably due to the different origins of the raw material and its maturation degree (Caetano et al., 2017). Being a flour with a high lipid, protein, and carbohydrate contents, it also has a high energy value (415.49 kcal·100 g -1 ). This value is higher than those found by Santiago et al. (2018) for baru peel (240 kcal·100 g -1 ) and pulp (276 kcal·100 g -1 ). Notably, 100 g of PDBF supplies approximately 21% of RDI (FDA, 2020). Thus, when marketed at a low Except for moisture, data are expressed on a dry basis.
cost, PDBF can be part of fiber-rich products, making a positive impact on the human diet. For phenolic compounds, PDBF showed low levels in this study (Table 4) compared to those reported by Siqueira et al. (2015), with a value of 588.11 mg GAE·100 g -1 . However, the value found in the present work is close to the range (11.52-44.53 mg GAE·100 g -1 ) reported by Cangussu et al. (2021) for pequi peel flours. The low phenolic compound content can be attributed to the fact that many phenolics are found in the exocarp of the fruit as a defense mechanism of plants against aggressors such as bacteria and insects (Cangussu et al., 2021). Although PDBF contains a small number of phenolics, the content is interesting to increase these bioactive compounds when associated with other flours. According to Oliveira-Alves et al. (2020), baru is an important source of these compounds, especially gallic acid and its derivatives (such as gallic acid esters and gallotannins), which are responsible for the high antioxidant activity. These authors also reported that the baru nut has the potential to inhibit colorectal cancer cell proliferation. Thus, PDBF, when used as an ingredient, can provide health benefits. Table 5 shows the mineral content of PDBF together with the recommended daily intake (RDI) for each mineral. Except for calcium, all the minerals evaluated in this study are present in amounts which meet the nutritional needs of an adult person. In addition, PDBF can be considered to contain high levels of Cu, Fe, Mg, and Mn, because its values supply at least 30% of the nutrient reference values (NRVs) (FAO, 1997). Pineli et al. (2015b) found much higher values in baru bran for calcium (200.91 mg·100 g -1 ), copper (2.04 mg·100 g -1 ), iron (13.29 mg·100 g -1 ), and zinc (7.62 mg·100 g -1 ) than reported in the present study. In contrast, PDBF showed higher levels of minerals than those reported by Schiassi et al. (2018) when investigating fruits from the Brazilian Savanna such as araça (42.29 mg Ca·100 g -1 , 0.18 mg Fe·100 g -1 , and 15.28 mg Mg 100 g -1 ), cagaita (22.50 mg Ca·100 g -1 , 0.33 mg Fe·100 g -1 , and 5.79 mg Mg·100 g -1 ), and mangaba (31.01 mg Ca·100 g -1 , 0.50 mg Fe·100 g -1 , and 12.80 mg Mg·100 g -1 ). Moreover, as shown in the Brazilian Table of Food Composition (NEPA, 2011), wheat flour has amounts of Mn, Mg, Fe, and Ca at approximately thirty-, six-, five-, and three-fold less than the PDBF, respectively. The comparison of these results suggests that the by-product from the extraction of baru almond oil has relevant mineral content and has great potential to fortify food formulations and prevent micronutrient deficiency.

Mineral profile in partially defatted baru flour
The intake of minerals is crucial to a healthy diet because they are a part of well-functioning biological mechanisms (Weyh et al., 2022). For example, iron is essential for transporting oxygen to the tissues from the lungs by red blood cell hemoglobin (Gupta and Gupta, 2014). Magnesium is involved in energy metabolism, protein synthesis, RNA, and DNA synthesis (Weyh et al., 2022). Calcium is associated with bone maintenance, helping to prevent osteoporosis in women, and zinc acts as a cofactor of several enzymes (Gupta and Gupta, 2014;Weyh et al., 2022).

CONCLUSIONS
Baru oil from the northwest region of Minas Gerais offers quality that meets the required standards because it has a high content in unsaturated fatty acids (mainly oleic acid), and total carotenoids, confirming the possibility of using it as a partial replacement for other oils. Partially defatted baru flour has high levels of proteins, lipids, and dietary fiber, in addition to the mineral contents, especially manganese, magnesium, and copper. Therefore, the addition of this flour to food formulations may produce nutritionally valuable products. Thus, baru may be used as an alternative source of oil together with offering an advantage of an agro-industrial by-product such as baru bran that can be transformed into flour. These products may be beneficial to human health, the environment, and the food industry.