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  • Comparative analysis of biochemical and nutritional composition in regional and commercial varieties of avocado fruit (Persea americana Mill.)
    Publication . Gonçalves, João David Henriques; Carvalho, Miguel Ângelo Almeida Pinheiro de; Gouveia, Carla Susana Silva
    Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a fruit native to Central America and lately figures as one of the most important and popular tropical fruits in the world due to its nutritional, biochemical and phytochemical characteristics. In order to evaluate the nutritional, antioxidant and fatty acid composition of four regional varieties and compare them to a commercial one, flours were obtained across different tissues (pulp and by-products) and harvest cycles (different years and on-tree maturation stages). The nutritional evaluation was carried out using seven parameters covered by crude protein, crude fiber, ash, soluble sugars, starch, lipids, and dry biomass. Was also performed physico-chemical (pH, TA, and color) and pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids) parameters, and sensory analysis. Among the variability founded in all varieties, in these nutritional parameters, it was revealed the close association of the pulp with the lipid’s parameter, while the peel and seed associated to both crude fiber and starch, respectively. In general terms, the on-tree maturation (third harvest cycle) improved the quality of the analyzed parameters. In antioxidant analysis (TFC, DPPH, and lipids) the by-product exhibited more antioxidant capacity than the pulp, with “Roxa de Casca Fina” (RCF) surpassing the other regionals and commercial varieties in this analysis, especially in lipid content. The fatty acid profile was obtained by GC-MS, which was observed that oleic acid stands out as the major fatty acid founded in all samples, with regional avocados containing arachidonic acid which is an uncommon occurrence among higher plants. The variability found in these parameters were influenced by the timing of harvest but was notable the major quality of regional avocados in various parameters against the commercial one. This work outcomes highlight the promising potential of avocados from Madeira Island.
    2024-05-07Master thesis Embargoed access Show more