Bioactive compounds and quality parameters of avocado oil obtained by different processes

• Published in: Food chemistry 2018-08, Vol.257, p.376-381
• Main Authors: Krumreich, Fernanda D., Borges, Caroline D., Mendonça, Carla Rosane B., Jansen-Alves, Cristina, Zambiazi, Rui C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Breda variety; Drying; Fatty acids
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.03.048

•Avocado of Breda variety contains 72% of pulp, in which there is 16% of lipids.•The pulp drying and oil extraction methods affect the quality of the avocado oil.•Drying the pulp at 60 °C under vacuum produces oils with better characteristics.•Extraction method with mechanical pressing resulted in better quality oil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of avocado oil whose pulp was processed through different drying and oil extraction methods. The physicochemical characteristics of avocados cv. Breda were determined after drying the pulp in an oven under ventilation (40 °C and 60 °C) and vacuum oven (60 °C), followed by the oil extracted by mechanical pressing or the Soxhlet method. From the approximately 72% pulp found in the avocado fruit, the 16% fraction is lipids. The quality indices evaluated in avocado oil showed better results when the pulp was dried at 60 °C under vacuum and oil extraction was done by the Soxhlet method with petroleum ether, whereas the bioactive compounds were better preserved when the avocado pulp was dried at 60 °C under ventilation and mechanical pressing was used for the oil extraction. Among the fatty acids found, oleic acid was the main.