Active packaging to prevent lipid oxidation on Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa HBK) stored under varying temperatures

Brazil nuts are largely consumed either as a whole or as an ingredient in different food products. These seeds are rich in lipids that are susceptible to oxidation, which is the most common cause of deterioration in their sensory and nutritional quality. Active food packagings are a potential strategy to prevent food lipid oxidation. In this work, thermoplastic starch/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (TPS/PBAT) containing water-soluble curcumin and pinhao (Araucaria angustifolia) extract as natural antioxidants were used to package Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa). Packaged nuts were stored under different temperatures and analysed for up to 30 days of storage. The lipid profile of the oil extracted from the nuts before packaging showed that it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The UV-Vis spectra were organized into an augmented matrix and then into a principal component analysis (PCA). Results showed that for 10 & DEG;C, the control TPS/PBAT film and the film containing pinhao extract resulted in the best preservation. When evaluated at 25 & DEG;C, the nuts packed in films that contained water-soluble curcumin presented the best oxidative stability until the 15th day of storage. After this period, the oxidation reactions were significant for all samples, indicating a possible compromise on the sensory and nutritional quality of Brazil nuts. This study was financed in part by the Coordenaç˜ao de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brasil (CAPES), Finance Code 001. The authors thank the “Central Analítica Multiusuário da UTFPR Campo Mour˜ao” (CAMulti-CM) for the analyses. Fernanda V. Leimann would like to give thanks to CNPq (Research Productivity Scholarships, PQ 2, process number 310052/2021-1, Chamada CNPq/MCTI/ FNDCT N 18/2021, Faixa A, process number 406966/2021-4). Patrícia Valderrama would like to give thanks to CNPq (Research Productivity Scholarships, PQ 2, process number 306606/2020–8).