Thermal properties of defatted meal, concentrate, and protein isolate of baru nuts (Dipteryx alata Vog.)

• Main Authors: Rita de Cássia Avellaneda Guimarães, Simone Palma Favaro, Anderson Dias Vieira de Souza, Cláudia Muniz Soares, Ângela Alves Nunes, Lincoln Carlos Silva de Oliveira, Michael Robin Honer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos 2012-03-01
• Series: Food Science and Technology
• Subjects: desnaturação proteica; análises térmicas; picos endotérmicos; leguminosas
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-20612012000100008&lng=en&tlng=en

Baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.), a species of legume found in the Brazilian savannas, was investigated in this study for the composition of its flesh and seed. Thermal analyses, Thermogravimetry (TG), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to investigate the proteins in defatted meal, concentrate, and protein isolate. The protein concentrate was extracted at pH 10, followed by a precipitation at the isoelectric point to obtain the isolate that was spray dried. The thermogravimetric curves were obtained under a nitrogen atmosphere with a 100 mL/minutes flow. The initial, final and peak temperatures and mass loss were analyzed. Within the performed temperature ranges studied, the defatted meal and concentrate presented four steps of mass loss, while the isolate showed only two steps. The protein content of defatted meal from Baru nuts was higher than that of the isolate. On the other hand, there was a reduction in enthalpy, which suggests that the process applied to obtain the baru concentrate and isolate led to protein denaturation.