Elemental composition and nutritional value of Araucaria angustifolia seeds from subtropical Brazil

Abstract

Consumed by populations in South America, Araucaria angustifolia seeds have received little study regarding elemental composition and nutritional value. Thirty-five seed sites from subtropical Brazil were sampled and seed concentrations of C,

Pehuén (Araucaria araucana) seed residues are a valuable source of natural antioxidants with nutraceutical, chemoprotective and metal corrosion-inhibiting properties

“…To extend the chemical characterization of piñón tissues, including their nutritional valorization, their elemental composition was determined by EDXRF (Table 1). Piñón endosperm composition (97% w/w of edible pulp) was similar to that described for Brazilian piñones [52]. In this regard, one serving of piñones (14 pulps from fresh piñones) contains essential elements, such as P, K, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn, in significant nutritional concentrations, as well as Rb [53].…”

Fertilization with Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Affects Composition of Araucaria angustifolia Needles, Branches and Stem

“…P was accumulated in the order: needles > branches > stem. Barbosa et al (2019) found higher P concentrations (2.77 to 5.99 g kg -1 ) in A. angustifolia seeds, indicating probable remobilization of the nutrient, especially of the needles and part of the branches, which fall during the winter.…”

Linking geographical origin with nutritional, mineral, and visual proprieties of pinhão (Araucaria angustifolia seed) from the south of Brazil

“…The RDA was used to predict the estimated demands of the inorganic components and proteins (IOM, 2006; WHO, 2012; WHO/FAO, 2004). Portions containing 100 g of pinhão almonds (wet basis) were used, considering that they are normally consumed with a moisture content of 45%, and, in order to obtain better consumption conditions, a 55 g portion (dry basis) was used (Barbosa et al., 2019).…”

“…In this way, the pinhão is a source of Cu (42.2%), P (31.1%), K (23.5%), and Zn (22.1%). The results of Barbosa et al (2019) indicate that raw almonds are a source of Cu (43.6%), P (32.8%), Mn (25.0%), and K (18.5%), whereas the results of Schveitzer et al (2014) indicate that the pinhão are a source of Fe (81.4%), Mn (52.4%), P (29.4%), and Cu (22.2%). This reveals several differences, which may be attributed to their origin and temporal variations.…”

“…Pinhão has a high nutritional value (Barbosa et al., 2019; Cordenunsi et al., 2004; Gil et al., 2021), and the edible portion (almond) corresponds to 70% of its weight (Oliveira et al., 2015). Although the raw nut is not edible, it is softened and consumed after cooking by gellification of the starch, a nutrient that is presented in large content (de Siqueira et al., 2019), leading to a high energy value, but is able to maintain a low glycemic profile, a characteristic that is attributed to the presence of dietary fiber and resistant starch (Cordenunsi et al., 2004).…”