Changes in dry matter, oil content and fatty acids composition of avocado during harvesting time and  post-harvesting ripening period

Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Akdeniz, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
Received 23 May 2003;  accepted 14 August 2003. ; Available online 14 November 2003.  

Abstract

Dry matter, oil content and fatty acid composition of avocado fruit (Persea americana, cv. Fuerte and Hass) were examined with respect to the harvesting and post -harvest ripening period. Fruits were harvested in November, December, and January at one-month intervals. Samples were kept for 8 days under ambient conditions to ripen. Dry matter and oil content of both cultivars increased significantly (p<0.05) according to the length of time that the fruits remained on the tree. However, significant (p<0.05) changes in the amount of dry matter and oil content of avocado were determined during the post -harvest ripening period. There were significant (p<0.05) differences in the fatty acid compositions of Fuerte and Hass in each sampling time. Although oleic acid significantly (p<0.05) increased with late harvest, other fatty acids decreased. In particular, palmitic acid notably underwent a 46.5% decrease from November to January. There were statistically significant (p<0.05) differences in the fatty acid compositions during the post -harvest ripening period: however, these were too small numerically to be of significance, either biologically or nutritionally.

Author Keywords: Avocado (Persea americana Mill.); Fatty acid composition; Ripening period