Baru nut: A perspective for production chain integration and product valorization

The growing global demand for sustainable and nutritious foods has driven the search for emerging food raw materials. Together with the food transition, the circular economy emerges as a practical approach encouraging the reuse of generated waste and by-products as productive resources. This study explores the production chain of the baru tree fruit ( Dipteryx alata ), a legume native to Brazil, focusing on the integral valorization of its by-products. Baru nuts are rich in proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, fibers, bioactive compounds and minerals, making them valuable food sources. While the main marketed product in this production chain is the nut, parts of the fruit, such as the epicarp (peel), mesocarp (pulp) and endocarp, which are often neglected, display great potential for generating new value-added products. The epicarp is rich in fibers and phenolic compounds, with potential applications in producing bioproducts or functional ingredients. Despite its astringent taste, due to its high tannin and alkaloid content, the mesocarp has a promising nutritional composition with fermentable carbohydrates and phenolic compounds for the production of formulated foods or ingredients, as well as for use as a substrate in biotechnological and fermentation processes. The endocarp displays potential as a source of lignocellulosic material. Applying circular economy approaches in the baru production chain could reduce waste generation and positively impact the conservation of the biome where this tree occurs.