NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION, PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND EXTRACTION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FROM OITI (Licania tomentosa) WITH DIFFERENT SOLVENTS AS A WAY OF ENHANCEMENT OF NATIVE FRUITS

The biodiversity of Brazilian biomes represents significant potential for the sustainable exploitation of native fruits, such as the oiti (Licania tomentosa), a species of the Chrysobalanaceae family, widely distributed in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. Despite its widespread consumption, studies on the nutritional and bioactive composition of its various parts are scarce. This study aimed to characterize the nutritional, physicochemical, and bioactive composition of the pulp, peel, seeds, and leaves of the oiti, aiming to evaluate their functional properties. Fruits and leaves were collected in Palmas, Tocantins, and oven-dried at 55°C to constant weight. The samples were ground, sieved, and stored at −20°C. Physicochemical analyses (pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids), centesimal composition (moisture, ash, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and energy value), phytochemical characterization (total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols and ortho-diphenols), evaluation of antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS and IPL), were performed. The analyses revealed pH between 6.04 and 6.61, higher acidity in the seed (2.49 g 100 g⁻¹) and high soluble solids in the leaf (20.67°Brix), the peel + pulp presented high moisture (83.17%), useful for hydrated formulations, while the leaf had a higher protein (9.04 g 100 g⁻¹) and ash (5.16 g 100 g⁻¹) content, indicating good nutritional potential. Total phenolic contents were highest in the seeds (242.89 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹) and leaves (211.07 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹), with acetone (70%) standing out. Ortho-diphenols also stood out in the seeds, indicating excellent antioxidant capacity, confirmed by the high inhibition percentages in the DPPH assay (90.62%). The leaf also presented the highest flavonoid content (1093.52 mg CE 100 g⁻¹), while flavonols stood out in the peel + pulp (244.06 mg QE 100 g⁻¹). These compounds are recognized for their ability to capture free radicals and contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases. Antioxidant activity was most significant in the seeds (DPPH: 90.62%; ABTS: 1834 μmol TE g⁻¹; IPL: 65.89% inhibition), followed by the leaves, reinforcing the correlation with high phenolic levels. Acetone 70% was the most efficient solvent in the extraction of most compounds. It is concluded that oiti leaves and seeds have an excellent functional, antioxidant, and nutritional profile, being promising for the development of functional foods, cosmetics, or herbal medicines, in addition to contributing to the sustainable use and enhancement of Brazilian biodiversity.