Application of mid-infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance to assess the quality of processed Amazon nuts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5902/2179460X92511Keywords:
Nutritional quality, Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl, Instrumental analytical methodsAbstract
The Amazon nut exhibits considerable variation in its nutritional composition, influenced by geographic origin, genetic characteristics of the plant, and production environments. To characterize the composition of almonds from various processed Amazon nut samples, mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) were employed. MIR analysis identified functional groups of proteins and lipids, offering valuable insights into the molecular composition of the samples. In contrast, NMR was used to evaluate transverse relaxation times (T2), indicating a high presence of unsaturated fatty acids in the almonds. These methodologies can expedite sample characterization for the industry, aiding in the selection of nutritionally superior products. This study underscores the significance of advanced instrumental methods in food analysis, presenting an efficient and accurate alternative for nutritional characterization. MIR spectroscopy, NMR, and traditional analytical methods together provide consistent and complementary information on the nutritional variability of Amazon nuts and can be used jointly to analyze and characterize different samples.
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