ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS IN CACHICHÍN NUTS (Oecopetalum mexicanum Greenm. & C.H. Thomps.) EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT THERMAL TREATMENTS

Abstract

The cachichín tree (Oecopetalum mexicanum Greenm. & C.H. Thomps.), present in the Sierra de Misantla, Veracruz, Mexico, produces fruits with bitter-tasting nuts, traditionally consumed as a healthy snack, boiled or toasted. These nuts have significant concentrations of lipids, proteins, fiber, and ash, although their antioxidant capacity and phenolic profile in response to different thermal treatments have not been explored. The objective of this study was to analyze the antioxidant activity and determine the concentrations of free and total phenolic compounds in the raw (T1) cachichín nuts and nuts subjected to different thermal treatments, including boiled (T2), commercial toast (T3), and controlled toast at laboratory level (T4). The nuts subjected to controlled toasting (T4) showed the highest mean in antioxidant activity (20.73 %), followed by commercial toasting (T3; 19.41 %) and raw nuts (T1; 15.38 %), while the boiled nuts (T2) showed the lowest values (9.68 %). Regarding free phenols, the highest concentration of catechin was found in raw nuts (T1), with 278.91 mg g^-1 fresh biomass weight (FBW). Trans-ferulic acid was more abundant in the toasting treatments (7.09 ng g^-1 FBW in T3 and 6.13 ng g^-1 FBW in T4) compared to raw nuts (T1; 3.77 ng g^-1 FBW). Trans-coumaric acid was higher with controlled toasting (T4; 2.67 ng g^-1 FBW). In terms of total phenols, raw nuts (T1) showed the highest concentration of catechin (613.95 mg g^-1 FBW), while chlorogenic acid was more abundant in commercial toasting (T3; 89.12 ng g^-1 FBW). Total trans-ferulic acid was higher in boiled and toasted nuts (T2, T3, and T4), while trans-coumaric acid was highest in controlled toasting (T4) and lowest in boiled (T2). Cachichín nuts are concluded to contain phenolic compounds with beneficial functions, whose concentrations can be altered in response to the thermal treatments applied.