Macauba (Acrocomia ssp.) fruits: A comprehensive review of nutritional and phytochemical profiles, health benefits, and sustainable oil production

Abstract Macauba is an underexplored palm with significant potential for food‐grade vegetable oil production. Its fruits yield two distinct sources of oil, the pulp and the kernel, each with its unique composition, emerging as a potential vegetable oil source with high competitiveness with well‐established conventional oil sources. Besides the oil, macauba fruits are rich in essential nutrients, including proteins, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, and phytochemicals, with outstanding health benefits. Macauba processing generates valuable co‐products, including the epicarp, pulp and kernel cakes, and endocarp, which have considerable potential for enhancing the macauba production chain. This review explores the nutritional and phytochemical profile of macauba, its health benefits, and the potential for exploiting its co‐products. Innovative extraction methods and a comprehensive strategy for producing multiple products from macauba co‐products are also highlighted as opportunities to achieve sustainable development goals and a circular economy in macauba fruit processing.