Macauba fruits preserved by combining drying and ozonation methods for biodiesel production

ABSTRACT Macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata) is an oleaginous plant for use in biodiesel production. After harvest, the fruits of this palm tree have high water content, thus attracting microorganisms. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt appropriate fruit storage strategies to ensure oil quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the combined use of drying and ozonation on the quality of macaúba fruit oil used to produce biodiesel. The fruits were dried at 60 °C and subsequently subjected to ozonation (treatments with different dosages and application intervals). The treatments with the combined use of drying and ozonation were efficient in maintaining FFA content below 5% for up to 45 days of storage. Furthermore, these treatments did not affect the oil content in the mesocarp of macauba fruits during 180 days of storage. Thus, the combined technique of drying and ozonation of macauba fruits without epicarps can become a viable alternative post-harvest.