ANALYSIS OF THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF EXTRACTED MACAÚBA KERNEL OILS FOR SOAP PRODUCTION

This study aimed to analyze the physicochemical properties of macaúba almond oil (Acrocomia aculeata) extracted by two different methods, cold and hot, focusing on its application in the production of soaps. The acidity, saponification, smoke point, peroxides, density, iodine index and water content were evaluated, with all analyses performed in triplicate.

The oil extracted at cold presented a specific mass of 0.885g/cm³, while the oil extracted at hot obtained 0.954g/cm³. The oil extracted at cold showed an acidity index of 4.57 mg KOH/g of oil, while the oil extracted at hot showed a lower value of 1.98 mg KOH/g. The saponification index was 124 mg KOH/g in the cold oil and 142.7 mg KOH/g in the hot oil, suggesting greater formation of soaps in the oil subjected to heat in the extraction process. The smoke point was 164°C in the hot oil and 156.6°C in the cold oil, highlighting the thermal superiority of the heating method. The iodine index, relevant for the unsaturation of the oil, was 78.58 g I2/100g in the cold oil and 71.35 g I2/100g in the hot oil. The peroxide index, an indicator of oxidation, revealed values of 17.91 meq O2/kg in the cold oil and 12.64 meq O2/kg in the hot oil, showing greater oxidation in the cold samples. These results suggest that the extraction method significantly impacts the physicochemical characteristics of macaúba oil, with the oil extracted being cold more prone to oxidation, while the oil extracted hot has greater thermal stability and greater saponification potential