The fruits of Pachira aquatica Aublet present edible seeds with organoleptic characteristics much appreciated by peoples in the Amazon, with little being used in other regions. This study aimed to characterize the seeds and to determine the composition and physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid profile. Determining the composition of the seeds (moisture, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and ash) and analysis of oil extracted from them (free fatty acids, peroxide, iodine, refractive index, saponification value, melting point and fatty acid profile) was performed following the official methodology. The oil content in the seeds 38.39% showed that these have potential for industrial use. The physical and chemical analysis, the oil extracted from the seeds showed 39.2% of free fatty acids (% oleic acid), iodine value of 27.4 I2.100 g-1, saponification number of 208.0 mg.KOH g-1, refractive index (40 °C) of 1.4569 and melting point of 41.9 °C. Regarding the composition of fatty acids palmitic predominated oil (44.93%), oleic (39.27%) and linoleic (11.35%). This fact favors the use of oil as raw material for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
fatty acids; fruits; physicochemical measurements
