Roasting‐Induced Changes in Bioactive Compounds and Volatile Profile of Açaí ( Euterpe oleracea ) Seeds Powder Assessed by Response Surface Methodology and Principal Components Analysis

The açaí palm ( Euterpe oleracea Mart.) is valued for its pulp, yet 85% of the fruit—the seed—is discarded, raising environmental concerns. In Northern Brazil, roasted seeds are consumed as a coffee‐like beverage, but the impact of roasting on their composition remains unclear. This study evaluated how roasting affects the physicochemical, bioactive, and volatile profiles of açaí seeds, using multivariate analysis to relate processing conditions with bioactive retention and aroma development. Açaí seeds obtained from Afuá, Pará, Brazil, were dried and roasted in a rotary roaster under a central composite rotational design (165°C–235°C; 8–22 min). Roasted seeds were then ground for analysis. Proximate composition, physicochemical properties, minerals, phenolics, antioxidant capacity, inulin content, and volatile profile were evaluated. Roasting effects were modeled by ANOVA and response surface methodology, while principal components analysis assessed volatile distribution. Raw açaí seeds showed a fibrous and porous structure with high fiber (84.25 g/100 g), phenolics (37.07 mg GAE/g), inulin (16.05 g/100 g), and notable minerals content, particularly potassium. During roasting, soluble solids were peaked at mild conditions (175°C/10–20 min), while higher temperatures reduced moisture, pH, phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and inulin, highlighting temperature as the main factor, while color change was intensified with both time and temperature. Optimal phenolic retention was predicted at 174°C/16 min, and the volatile analysis revealed shifts from oxygenated compounds (aldehydes and terpenes) under mild roasting to Maillard‐derived products (furans, pyrazines, and phenolics) at higher intensities. PCA explained 77.1% of variance, clearly separating light roasts with fresh notes from darker roasts with caramelized and nutty attributes. Roasting allows for the modulation of their profile, as milder conditions preserve prebiotics and antioxidants, while higher temperatures develop desirable roasted aromas. This enables the tailoring of ingredients for food applications, adding value to this by‐product.