Pachira aquatica (Malvaceae): An unconventional food plant with food, technological, and nutritional potential to be explored

• Published in: Food research international Vol. 164; p. 112354
• Main Authors: Daim Costa, Lyvia, Pereira Trindade, Renata, da Silva Cardoso, Patrick, Barros Colauto, Nelson, Andrea Linde, Giani, Murowaniecki Otero, Deborah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2023
• Subjects: Antioxidant capacity; Bioactive compounds; Bombacaceae; Fatty acids; Fruit; Malvaceae; Monguba; Oilseed; Physico-chemical characterization; Plants, Edible; Seeds - metabolism; Antioxidant capacity; Monguba; Oilseed; Bioactive compounds; Fatty acids; Physico-chemical characterization
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.112354

[Display omitted] •Monguba is an unconventional food plant found in all Brazilian territory.•P. aquatica Aubl. is a good font of oil, protein, fiber and different micronutrients.•Monguba demonstrated a high variability of bioactive compounds in its different parts.•Bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential play an essential role in our health.•Monguba have characteristics that allow its use in several economic sectors. Pachira aquatica (Malvaceae) is an unconventional food plant (UFP) native to Mexico and found all over Brazil, where it is commonly known as monguba. It has an arboreal shape, exotic flowers, and a fruit similar to cocoa with several seeds. Although its main application is in urban ornamentation and folk medicine, monguba’s fruit has a great potential for use in the food, pharmacology, cosmetic, and bioenergy industry, mainly due to its oil’s characteristics. This review aims to compile the nutritional composition, bioactive and antioxidant activities, and technological and nutritional potential of monguba’s seed, leaf, and fruit pericarp. It reviews studies of different databases between January 2018 and October 2021. Monguba seeds are rich in lipids, proteins, and minerals; the bark is rich in fiber; and all parts of the fruit have bioactive compounds. Discussing the use of UFP is a way of finding new alternative food sources, usually discarded, offering products with high nutritional value allied to technological and consumption potential, such as the monguba fruit.