Obtaining and preliminary stability assessment of emulsions containing açaí oil (Euterpe oleracea) as a bioproduct for cosmetic application

Abstract

Açaí oil (Euterpe oleracea) is a valuable bioproduct native to the Amazon region, widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sectors due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties, playing an essential role in the sustainable use of biological resources. This study aimed to develop and assess the preliminary stability of emulsions containing açaí oil. The oil was characterized using the acidity index (AI), saponification, iodine, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), fatty acid profile by gas chromatography (CG), relative density, pH, and organoleptic properties. Two emulsions were obtained, F1 and F2, and evaluated in 6 cycles of thermal stress, each cycle consisting of 24 hours at 45 ± 2 ºC and 24 hours at 5 ± 2 ºC; the control was kept at 25 ± 2 ºC, at the end of the cycles were evaluated the organoleptic properties, pH and density. The açaí oil obtained values of AI (1.48mg NAOH/g), iodine (65.58 gl2), saponification (199.54 mg), and density (0.914 g/mL), and the NMR and GC showed the presence of oleic, linoleic, palmitoleic and palmitic acids as priorities. During the preliminary stability test, there were no changes in pH (p= 0.8281 and 0.7497) and density (p= 0.7177 and 0.5166) for F1 and F2, respectively. Therefore, formulation F1 presented promising characteristics for application in cosmetology, requiring further recommended stability tests.