Palmeras aceiteras del Ecuador: estado del arte en la investigación de nuevos recursos oleaginosos provenientes del bosque tropical.

Abstract

Ecuador has one of the highest palm’s population diversity in the Neotropic (134 natives species); some of them have the potential like new sources of oils and fats. A bibliographic search showed 24 studies describing fatty acid composition for Ecuadorian palms (Astrocaryum, Attalea, Bactris, Cocos, Elaeis, Euterpe, Mauritia, Oenocarpus, and Phytelephas). PCA and UPGMA analysis showed that oils derived from palm fruits can be classified in function of tissue from where it was isolated: (a) oils derived from the mesocarp with high concentration of MUFAs, and (b) oils derived from the endosperm with high concentration of SFAs. Oils derived from Phytelephas aequatorialis (mesocarp) and Mauritia flexuosa (endosperm) showed a peculiar concentration of PUFAs. Despite of the economic potential of native palms like new sources of edible and industrial oils, the knowledge of the oil productivity, management of natural populations, and the conservation of the genetic resources need to be studied.