Abstract

The lipids in three samples of Brazilian acai and 14 samples obtained in the USA that were labeled as containing acai were analyzed by 1H and 13C-NMR. All the Brazilian samples and eleven of the USA samples were found to contain triacylglycerols containing oleoyl and vaccenyl (18:1), linoleoyl (18:2), linolenoyl (18:3) and saturated fatty acyl groups. Oxidation products that are cyto- and genotoxic were detected by 1H-NMR in many of the USA samples, but not in the Brazilian samples. Also, three USA samples labeled acai had little or no triacylglycerols, and five had sorbic acid (2,4-hexadienoic acid), a commonly used preservative, even though this was not written on the label. The percent of lipids varied from 0.02 to 44.6%. The Brazilian samples had 49.0, 46.2 and 47.4% lipids. The percent 18:1, 18:2, 18:3 and saturated fatty acyls were 68.1, 7.37, 1.49 and 23.0% (average of the three Brazilian samples). Floridian acai had about the same amount of total fats, but less unsaturated fat and more saturated fat than the Brazilian acai.

Keywords: Acai, NMR, triacylglycerols, pulp, fatty acid, edible proteins, oleic acid, lipids, oils, chloroform