Passiflora nitida Seed Flour: Composition and Physicochemical Characterization

The species Passiflora nitida, popularly known as "maracujá-suspiro" or "maracujá-de-cheiro" is endemic to the Amazon biome but also occurs in the Cerrado and Caatinga. The seeds, like those of other species in the Passifloraceae family, are usually discarded after processing. However, seeds of Passiflora are known to be sources of oil and various bioactive compounds with applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The present study aims to produce and physicochemically characterize the flour from Passiflora nitida seeds (FPNS). For the study, the fruits of maracujá-suspiro were collected in Manaus (Amazonas, Brazil; 3°6′7″S, 60°1′30″W), where the seeds, peels, and pulp were separated. The seeds were lyophilized and subsequently processed in an industrial blender to obtain the flour. Due to the presence of pulp residues aggregated with the flour, it was purified using a 1:7.5 (w/v) ratio of flour in 80% ethanol, under agitation at 500 rpm for 15 minutes at room temperature, followed by filtration. Afterwards, the filtered flour underwent a second purification, maintaining the same ratio, but heated at 60°C for 15 minutes, then filtered again, and subsequently dried in a forced-air oven at 35°C for 24 hours. For physicochemical characterization, procedures described by AOAC were followed, including analyses of moisture, ash, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and titratable acidity. All methods were performed in triplicate, and the results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The bromatological characterization of FPNS revealed 4.19% ± 0.88 moisture, 1.88% ± 0.19 ash, 24.05% ± 0.40 lipids, 5.53% ± 0.51 proteins, and 59.66% ± 1.33 carbohydrates, with titratable acidity of 1.09% ± 0.19 as citric acid. Moisture content below 15%, the maximum limit established by ANVISA, suggests greater stability of the flour against microbial degradation and enzymatic hydrolysis. The low ash content indicates a reduced presence of non-volatile minerals, which may reflect greater purity of the matrix. Carbohydrates, followed by lipids, are the main constituents, representing about 82% of the total composition, highlighting the high energy potential of the flour. Thus, FPNS not only presents relevant nutritional value but also emerges as a promising byproduct for the development of high value-added products, reinforcing the importance of full utilization of the fruit. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that additional studies are necessary to evaluate the presence of antinutritional factors and the toxicity of the flour.