VEGAN CHEESE: UNVEILING THE SECRETS OF MACAW PALM KERNEL FOR A GOURMET EXPERIENCE

Macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata) is a widely distributed native palm tree in Brazil, known for its fruit’s nutritional and industrial potential. The residue generated during the oil extraction process is abundant in proteins (17,73 g/100g), carbohydrates (25,89 g/100g), and lipids (47,35 g/100g), holding the potential for creating a diverse range of plant-based products. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different enzymes, binomial temperature/time, and lecithin concentration in the coagulation of macaw palm kernel emulsions to produce plant-based cheeses. The enzymes papain (5,0mg/mL), pepsin (5,0 mg/mL), chymosin (8. 10-3 mL/mL), and transglutaminase (0,1 g/mL) were used together with a heat treatment (35ºC for 60 min), except the tubes with transglutaminase, which remained for 120 min to induce coagulation. Moreover, we tested the influence of lecithin at concentrations of 0.5% and 2% m/v on the stability of the macaw palm kernel emulsion and coagulation. Emulsions without lecithin were predominantly sedimented, while those containing lecithin exhibited flotation. This phenomenon likely results from the interaction between the lipid components with lecithin, forming complexes that also interact with atmospheric oxygen. Papain activity over proteins induced a noticeable change in emulsion color, transitioning from completely translucent to a yellowish hue, with almost no agglutination. Pepsin, on the other hand, had no interference in emulsio beavior, which could be attributed to the high pH of the medium. In contrast, the agglutinate web formed by chymosin was more voluminous than the transglutaminase web for the same mass employed. The next step should be through the processes optimization, followed by agglutinates characterization, to produce plant-based cheese. This research contributes to the innovation of sustainable food products, harnessing the potential for valorization of macaw palm kernel residues in the growing plant-based food market.