PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF BURITI VEGETABLE OIL (MAURITIA FLEXUOSA L. F.) AND ITS POTENTIAL APPLICATION IN GOAT SEMEN CRYOPRESERVATION EXTENDERS

Abstract

Semen cryopreservation, although widely employed in reproductive biotechnology, induces oxidative stress and damage to the sperm membrane, thereby requiring extenders with greater lipid stability and antioxidant activity, a context in which vegetable oils with known chemical composition stand out as promising alternatives. The aim of this study was to characterize buriti vegetable oil (Mauritia flexuosa L. f.) and to analyze its potential application in extenders intended for goat semen cryopreservation. To this end, the oil was subjected to qualitative phytochemical analysis, gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of compounds from the unsaponifiable fraction, such as triterpenoids and steroids. GC-FID confirmed a predominance of monounsaturated fatty acids, with oleic acid (65.69%) as the major component, followed by moderate proportions of saturated fatty acids and a lower fraction of polyunsaturated fatty acids. FTIR analysis confirmed the structural integrity of the oil, with characteristic bands corresponding to unsaturations and carbonyl groups. Taken together, the results demonstrate that buriti oil exhibits a well-defined chemical profile suitable for lipid-based systems used in semen extenders, providing a compositional basis for its evaluation in formulations aimed at goat semen cryopreservation.