Physicochemical and nutritional evaluation of linseed (Linum usitatissimum) cultivated in an organic system

Abstract

Organic products gain visibility in the national and international scenario, due to the interest in the consumption of foods that promote human health benefits. The aim of this work was to evaluate the nutritional parameters of golden and brown flax seeds, cultivated in an organic system. Plant cultivation was carried out in soil fertilized with bed of birds (5 Mg ha^-1), and seeding occurred with a spacing of 0.34 meters between rows. After harvest, the nutritional and caloric parameters were evaluated by fresh and dry matter. Seed drying by forced dehydration (40 ± 2 ° C / 5 days) resulted in decreasing of moisture, ash and protein content, and increasing the lipid, carbohydrate and caloric content. Total acidity and pH were not affected by samples drying. In the samples analyzed in fresh matter, the brown flax seed presented a higher content of ashes and a lower content of lipids when compared to the golden flax seed. We can conclude that both organic flax seed samples present good nutritional parameters, favoring fresh and dry matter consumption.