**1. Introduction**

The world population growth brings great challenges regarding food security and environmental sustainability [1]. In this scenario, increasing the production of vegetable oils by developing resilient and sustainable cropping systems may be a promising approach. The global production of vegetable oil is dependent on the production of tropical perennial oilseed plants, in particular the African palm (*Elaeis guineensis*) [2]. In 2019–2020, over 81.1 Mt of *E. guineensis* oil was produced worldwide, of which 72.3 Mt consisted of palm oil (mesocarp), and 8.8 Mt. of kernel oil (endocarp) [3]. However, the cultivation of this species requires specific soil and climate conditions, leading to the deforestation of large areas of the rainforests, with considerable environmental impact and competition for land intended for food cultivation [4].

In this context, the identification of oilseed plant species that contain oils with triacylglycerol composition similar to palm oil, high production yield, and greater resistance to adverse edaphoclimatic conditions is a challenge. Macauba [*Acrocomia aculeata* (Jacq.) Lodd. Ex Mart.] is an endemic palm species of the Americas that

presents all these peculiarities, becoming a promising alternative for the development of a sustainable production chain of oils and co-products of industrial interest [5–7].

*A. aculeata* is popularly known as macauba, macaíba, macaiuva, mocaja, mocuja, mucaja, bacaiuva, bocaiuva, coco-de-catarro, coco-de-espinho, imbocaia, and umbocaiuva, depending on the region of occurrence [8]. Analyses of the productive capacity of macauba crops in Brazil indicate that approximately 5000 kg of pulp oil and 1500 kg of kernel oil can be produced per hectare per year. In addition, macauba is considered the second-largest oleaginous source after palm oil concerning the production yield [5, 9, 10].

This plant species grows preferably in tropical and subtropical regions with high rainfall and solar irradiation [11]. However, it is able to adapt well to other environments, including subtropical and semiarid conditions [9]. In Brazil, there is a large quantity of degraded land or land in process of degradation or desertification caused by human action or natural phenomena. Land degradation is the loss of productivity due to factors such as soil erosion, reduction of soil fertility, and loss of natural vegetation [12]. The fact that macauba has a great capacity to adapt to extreme edaphoclimatic conditions has led to the proposal that this plant could contribute to the recovery of degraded lands [13].

The energy capacity of macauba is due to the high productivity and quality of the pulp and kernel oils. Macauba oils have a different fatty acid profile and minority compounds. The pulp oil has a predominance of unsaturated fatty acids and bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids and tocopherols [14]. In turn, kernel oil is rich in saturated fatty acids, mainly lauric acid. These notable differences confer distinct market potential for both products [15].

In the last decade, studies on *A. aculeata* have intensified due to its characteristics and applications, mainly as an alternative feedstock for biodiesel production [16]. Soybean oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, and palm oil are examples of noble and edible feedstocks used for biodiesel production [17]. In 2020, soybean oil accounted for 71.4% of biodiesel production in Brazil [18]. Studies have shown a similar profile of fatty acid esters in biodiesel from macauba oil when compared to soybean oil [19], highlighting the fundamental role of macauba as a potential feedstock with high availability and productivity for use in the biodiesel industry [5].

Due to the essentially extractive nature of macauba cultivation, in many cases, good practices for harvesting and storing the raw material are not followed, and this directly impacts the quality of the fruits and oils obtained [10]. In Brazil, there are several commercial cultivation programs demonstrating that it is a viable strategy, although it is still far from competing with commodities. The processing of macauba oils begins with the process of extraction by continuous pressing to obtain the crude oil [20]. Subsequently, the oils must undergo a refining process in order to eliminate undesirable substances that compromise both the oxidative stability of these oils and their organoleptic qualities [20]. Once refined, oils can have several applications both in the food and oleochemical areas and can still undergo modifications to expand their range of applications [15]. **Figure 1** outlines the complete macauba oil production chain from the palm tree to the lipid modified.

Excellent studies on the biology of macauba have been reported, including the factors that influence productivity, domestication processes, and genetic improvement, aiming for the development of commercial crops, and genetic variability, among others. Recently, Vargas-Carpinteiro et al. have published an exhaustive review on *Acrocomia*, showing that studies on harvesting, postharvest, crude oil extraction, refining, and deodorization are among the most incipient topics [7]. Therefore, the

*Macauba (*Acrocomia aculeata*): Biology, Oil Processing, and Technological Potential DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105540*

**Figure 1.**

*Representation of the macauba oil production chain: Palm, fruit bunches, open fruit, processing of oils, and lipids modification (photos source: S. Oleum).*

present study addresses the biology of *A. aculeata*, with emphasis on the processing steps from fruit to oil, as well as the main applications of macauba oils.
