Exploring the potential of ucuúba ( Virola surinamensis ) seed fat

Ucuúba ( Virola surinamensis ) fat is an important income source for Amazonian communities. Local businesses typically process whole seeds for fat extraction; however, seed structural integrity may influence extraction efficiency and fat quality. This study evaluated the effect of seed shelling as a preprocessing strategy on lipid recovery from ucuúba seeds. Fat samples extracted by pressing from whole (WUF) and shelled seeds (SUF) were characterized in terms of fatty acid composition, quality parameters (smoke point, acid value, free fatty acids, peroxide value, slip melting point, saponification value, unsaponifiable matter, iodine value), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity measured using 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays, and thermal behavior measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Shelling increased fat yield, with SUF reaching 52.05% compared with 47.65% for WUF, thereby reducing residual press cake generation. Both samples presented similar quality and showed a predominance of saturated fatty acids, including myristic (72% to 73%) and lauric (17% to 18%). The WUF sample showed a higher TPC than SUF (6.54 and 5.82 mg GAE g −1 , respectively), with correspondingly higher antioxidant activity, as determined by ABTS (4.26 μmol TE g −1 ) and DPPH (12.25 μmol TE g −1 ). Thermal analysis showed a distinct exothermic event during crystallization and a single endothermic peak upon melting. These results indicate that shelling enhances fat recovery but reduces phenolic content and antioxidant activity, potentially increasing operational costs. The compositional and thermal characteristics of ucuúba fat suggest its suitability for cosmetic and therapeutic applications within Amazonian bioeconomy value chains.