Physicochemical Characterization, Fatty Acid Profile, and In Vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Tumbo (Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima) Seed Oil Obtained by Expeller Pressing
This study evaluated the applicability of tumbo (Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima) seeds for oil extraction by expeller pressing and characterized the resulting oil in terms of physicochemical quality, fatty acid profile, and in vitro antioxidant properties. The nutritional composition of tumbo fruit fractions, including pulp, peel, seeds, and residual seed cake, was also assessed. Tumbo seed oil showed a pressing yield of 16.78% and was characterized by a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly linoleic acid, together with low acid and peroxide values and a high iodine value. The oil also showed measurable in vitro antioxidant capacity in ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays, along with relevant total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). These findings provide baseline information on tumbo seed oil as a non-conventional Andean fruit seed oil and suggest potential interest for future technological and food-related studies. Further research is required to evaluate its oxidative stability, safety, detailed bioactive compound profile, and potential biological effects before proposing specific functional or health-related applications.