Odor potency, aroma profile and volatiles composition of cold pressed oil from industrial passion fruit residues

Abstract

In Brazil, the industrial exploitation of passion fruit generates agro-industrial waste potentially dangerous to the environment. Thus, the objective of the present research was to explore the use of the waste produced during passion fruit processing (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) for the manufacture of aromatic oil. The waste was dried, ground, cold pressed, and centrifuged. The oil was characterized for its moisture content, density, acidity, and for its refractive, iodine, and saponification indexes. The volatile compounds present in the headspace of the oil were isolated using the SPME technique and identified by GC-MS. Trained panelists evaluated the odoriferous strength of the oil as compared to fresh passion fruit pulp using the magnitude estimation scale, and quantitative descriptive analysis. Forty-nine volatile compounds were identified in the oil, the esters representing the major compounds with approximately 60% of the total area of the chromatogram, followed by the alcohols (15.5%), and terpenes (9.5%). Ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, and hexyl acetate were the major compounds found in the oil. The oil possessed high odoriferous strength, from two to three times superior to that of the pulp, an aroma profile similar to that of fresh passion fruit and good potential for use in the manufacture of aromatizing products.