Avaliação nutricional das sementes da Sterculia striata St. Hil. et NAUDIN, proveniente da região do Pantanal Sul-Mato-grossense

Abstract

The Sterculia striata belongs to the Sterculiaceae family and is commonly known in Brazil as chichá-do-cerrado, xixá-do-cerrado, arachachá, chechá of the north, monkey nut, mandovi and peanut of the forest. It fruits are opening capsules with an average of 5 sweetened eatable seeds (nuts). The purpose of this study was to nutritionally evaluate the Sterculia striata seeds from the sul-mato-grossense Pantanal. The seeds were crushed and sieved so that the chemical composition could be done and the amino acid profile could be established. In order to evaluate the seeds protein quality, a bioassay was done with wistar rats. The animals were separated in three groups – the aproteic group received non-protein ration, the standard group received casein ration and the test group received defatted chichá flour as the single source of protein. The studied variables were: weight, food efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio, digestibility, nitrogen balance, biological value and lab exams like glycemia, triglycerids, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. The results showed that the seeds contain 16.94% of protein, 25.72% of lipid, 6.96% of moisture, 22.33% of total carbohydrate, 3.45% of ashes and 388.56 Kcal/100g. The amount of valine amino acid, isoleucine, lysine and phenylalanine+tyrosine of the seed was greater than the recommended amount for growth. As limiting amino acid there were at first the histidine (0.28), followed by the methionine+cysteine (0.57), the leucine (0.83) and the threonine (0.98). The protein efficiency ratio, the food efficiency ratio and the nitrogen balance did not differ between the casein and the test groups. The true digestibility and the biological value were significantly lower on the test group, however both results were greater than 80%, being considered a good quality protein. The glycemia of the animals from the test group were lower than that of the casein group. The chichá seed proved to be a good source of nutrients once it promoted the growth and weight gain on the animals, similar from those from the test and standard groups.