Turning Amazonian Buriti fruit into valuable ingredients with zero-aste

What is it about?

Buriti or morete (Mauritia flexuosa L.) is an Amazonian fruit rich in oil, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, but it is still underused. This study designed a step-by-step green process that first extracts the oil, then recovers carotenoids and phenolic compounds from what remains. Only water, ethanol, carbon dioxide, and natural solvents were used, with no toxic chemicals, producing several valuable fractions from a single batch of fruit.

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Photo by Levi Arnold on Unsplash

Photo by Levi Arnold on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Buriti is an important non-timber forest resource for Amazonian communities, and global demand for its oil is growing quickly. However, most current processes use only one part of the fruit and rely on conventional solvents. This study shows that an integrated green biorefinery can recover oil, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds sequentially from the same biomass, with each step using only safe, food-grade solvents. It also provides detailed information on how different natural solvents selectively target different compound families, which helps other researchers choose the right solvent for the right goal. Finally, it addresses a known conflict: current harvesting often requires cutting down female palms, and adding value through efficient processing supports a shift toward more sustainable climbing-based harvesting. Take home message: A single Amazonian fruit can yield oil, natural pigments, and antioxidants through one clean process, adding value while supporting more sustainable harvesting practices.

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