Distinguishing Components in Brazilian Acai (Euterpe oleraceae Mart.) and in Products Obtained in the USA by Using NMR

The lipids in three samples of Brazilian acai and 14 samples obtained in the USA that were labeled as containing acai were analyzed by 1H and 13C-NMR. All the Brazilian samples and eleven of the USA samples were found to contain triacylglycerols containing oleoyl and vaccenyl (18:1), linoleoyl (18:2), linolenoyl (18:3) and saturated fatty acyl groups. Oxidation products that are cyto- and genotoxic were detected by 1H-NMR in many of the USA samples, but not in the Brazilian samples. Also, three USA samples labeled acai had little or no triacylglycerols, and five had sorbic acid (2,4-hexadienoic acid), a commonly used preservative, even though this was not written on the label. The percent of lipids varied from 0.02 to 44.6%. The Brazilian samples had 49.0, 46.2 and 47.4% lipids. The percent 18:1, 18:2, 18:3 and saturated fatty acyls were 68.1, 7.37, 1.49 and 23.0% (average of the three Brazilian samples). Floridian acai had about the same amount of total fats, but less unsaturated fat and more saturated fat than the Brazilian acai.