Abstract
Mauritia flexuosa, a palm tree native of Latin America, is an excellent source of carotenes. The natural habitats are swamps; nevertheless, with sufficient water supply, it can grow in other soils. Buriti is the richest natural source of beta carotene known (152,000 µg RAE/100g in the oil). Animal studies showed an extremely high bioavailability, probably due to its oily composition. The effectiveness of buriti in treating and preventing xerophthalmia was demonstrated in a controlled community trial with 44 children in Brazil. In conclusion, this fruit has an enormous potential in preventing vitamin A deficiency in Latin America and elsewhere.
Partial results presented at the XIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Nutrición, SLAN, Acapulco, México, 2003.
Notes
1BP in geological sciences means Before Present and “Present” corresponds to the year 1950.
Brazil Ministry of Health (2002). Brazilian regional foods. Ministério da Saúde, Brasília (in Portuguese).
FAO/WHO (1988). Joint Expert Consultation. Requirements of vitamin A, iron, folate and vitamin B12. FAO Food and Nutrition Series No. 23, Rome: FAO