Nutritional quality of Brazil nuts from different trees and under different storage conditions

Abstract

The Amazon nut is a naturally organic food, considered a functional food for promoting good nutrition and health of the body. Its regular consumption has already been associated with reducing several diseases due to the high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of some phytochemicals, mainly Selenium (Se). The objectives of this study were: 1) to evaluate whether Brazil nut trees that present higher fruit production also have higher Se content, 2) to check for alterations in Brazil nut (2021 harvest) seeds after one year of storage under different controlled conditions; 3) to check for alterations in the proximate composition of seeds (2022 harvest) after pre-drying and storage in the field. The average Se content was 143 mg kg-1, varying from 33 to 544 mg kg-1, with higher values in Brazil nuts collected from trees with lower fruit production. Seeds stored in their fruit for one year had higher moisture content (21%) and water activity (0.91) than those in the climate-controlled cold room and laboratory room, in addition to more carbohydrates and less lipids. This proved the efficiency of seed storage in fruit to maintain germination viability. In general, no significant changes were found in the proximate and nutritional composition of Brazil nuts taken to storehouse of pre-drying and the local buyer’s warehouse, proving that these conditions enable the quality maintenance of fresh Brazil nuts. These results can support commercialization, improvement, and valorization actions in the Brazil nut production chain that favor its quality as a functional and nutraceutical food.