Hass avocado composition and potential health effects

Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Indicator Microorganisms on Hass Avocados Sold at Retail Markets in Guadalajara, Mexico

Hass avocados may become contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes at the farm and the packing facility or later during transportation and at retail. In Mexico, avocados are frequently sold in bulk at retail markets, where they are stored at room temperature for several hours or days and exposed to potential sources of microorganisms. These conditions may favor the entry, adhesion, survival, and biofilm formation of Salmonella and L. monocytogenes. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of Salmonella, L. monocytogenes, and other Listeria species and the levels of indicator microorganisms on the surface of avocados sold at retail markets. A total of 450 samples (Persea americana var. Hass) were acquired from retail markets located in Guadalajara, Mexico. One group of 225 samples was evaluated for the presence of Salmonella and for enumeration of aerobic plate counts, yeasts and molds, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, and Escherichia coli. The other 225 samples were processed for isolation of L. monocytogenes and other Listeria species. Microbial counts (log CFU per avocado) were 4.3 to 9.0 for aerobic plate counts, 3.3 to 7.1 for yeasts and molds, 3.3 to 8.2 for Enterobacteriaceae, 3.3 to 8.4 for coliforms, and 3.3 to 6.2 for E. coli. Eight samples (3.5%) were positive for Salmonella. Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes were detected in 31 (13.8%) and 18 (8.0%) of 225 samples, respectively. Listeria innocua, Listeria welshimeri, and Listeria grayi were isolated from 7.6, 1.3, and 0.9% of samples. These results indicate that avocados may carry countable levels of microorganisms and could be a vehicle for transmission of Salmonella and L. monocytogenes.

Simultaneous LC/MS Analysis of Carotenoids and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Costa Rican Avocados (Persea americana Mill.)

Avocado (a fruit that represents a billion-dollar industry) has become a relevant crop in global trade. The benefits of eating avocados have also been thoroughly described as they contain important nutrients needed to ensure biological functions. For example, avocados contain considerable amounts of vitamins and other phytonutrients, such as carotenoids (e.g., β-carotene), which are fat-soluble. Hence, there is a need to assess accurately these types of compounds. Herein we describe a method that chromatographically separates commercial standard solutions containing both fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A acetate and palmitate, Vitamin D₂ and D₃, vitamin K₁, α-, δ-, and γ-vitamin E isomers) and carotenoids (β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, β-carotene, and lycopene) effectively (i.e., analytical recoveries ranging from 80.43% to 117.02%, for vitamins, and from 43.80% to 108.63%). We optimized saponification conditions and settled at 80 °C using 1 mmol KOH L⁻¹ ethanol during 1 h. We used a non-aqueous gradient that included methanol and methyl tert-butyl ether (starting at an 80:20 ratio) and a C₃₀ chromatographic column to achieve analyte separation (in less than 40 min) and applied this method to avocado, a fruit that characteristically contains both types of compounds. We obtained a method with good linearity at the mid to low range of the mg L⁻¹ (determination coefficients 0.9006–0.9964). To determine both types of compounds in avocado, we developed and validated for the simultaneous analysis of carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins based on liquid chromatography and single quadrupole mass detection (LC/MS). From actual avocado samples, we found relevant concentrations for cholecalciferol (ranging from 103.5 to 119.5), δ-tocopherol (ranging from 6.16 to 42.48), and lutein (ranging from 6.41 to 15.13 mg/100 g dry weight basis). Simmonds cultivar demonstrated the higher values for all analytes (ranging from 0.03 (zeaxanthin) to 119.5 (cholecalciferol) mg/100 g dry weight basis).

Fatty Acid Profile, Total Carotenoids, and Free Radical-Scavenging from the Lipophilic Fractions of 12 Native Mexican Avocado Accessions

Mexico is the world's largest producer, exporter, and consumer of avocados. "Hass" avocado is the most commercialized cultivar, while the native Mexican avocado varieties have been displaced. Thus, studies regarding their chemical and nutraceutical characterization are scarce. We studied the total lipid content, fatty acid profile, carotenoid content, and free radical-scavenging activity of the fruit pulp from 12 accessions of the native Mexican avocado (Persea americana var. drymifolia). The results show that the chemical and nutraceutical characteristics depend on the accession type. The total lipid content ranged from 13.22 to 23.41%. The major saturated fatty acid in all the avocado accessions was palmitic acid (15.54-22.68%). Monounsaturated fatty acids, like oleic (56.58-74.19%), linoleic (5.62-16.85%) and linolenic (0.63-2.85%) acids were the most abundant unsaturated fatty acids in all the native Mexican avocado accessions. The total carotenoid content (1.57 to 7.83 mg eq. of β-carotene 100 g-¹ fresh weight) and the free radical-scavenging activity (7.58-88.62 mMol trolox equivalent 100 g^-1 fresh weight) also varied significantly (p < 0.05) among accessions. Native Mexican avocados have a great nutraceutical potential due to their high content of omega-9, omega-6, and omega-3 fatty acids and carotenoids. These compounds have been reported to display antioxidant activities and protect against cardiovascular diseases.

The Odyssey of Bioactive Compounds in Avocado (Persea americana) and Their Health Benefits

Persea americana, commonly known as avocado, has recently gained substantial popularity and is often marketed as a "superfood" because of its unique nutritional composition, antioxidant content, and biochemical profile. However, the term "superfood" can be vague and misleading, as it is often associated with unrealistic health claims. This review draws a comprehensive summary and assessment of research performed in the last few decades to understand the nutritional and therapeutic properties of avocado and its bioactive compounds. In particular, studies reporting the major metabolites of avocado, their antioxidant as well as bioavailability and pharmacokinetic properties, are summarized and assessed. Furthermore, the potential of avocado in novel drug discovery for the prevention and treatment of cancer, microbial, inflammatory, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases is highlighted. This review also proposes several interesting future directions for avocado research.

Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds: A Review of Its Possible Role on Weight Management and Obesity's Metabolic Consequences

Background: Weight management and obesity prevention is a basic aim of health organizations in order to decrease the prevalence of various metabolic disorders. The aim of the present review article was the evaluation of the possible role of functional foods and their bioactive compounds as alternative way to promote weight management and prevent obesity and its metabolic consequences. Methods: Approximately 100 articles were selected from Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct, by using relative key words, and based mainly on recent animal, clinical or epidemiological studies. Results: The literature review highlighted the possible effect of specific functional foods such as coffee, green tea, berries, nuts, olive oil, pomegranate, avocado, and ginger. Specific bioactive compounds of those foods—such as caffeine, catechins, gallic acid, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, polyphenols, oleuropein, capsaicin, and quercetin—may contribute to weight management, obesity prevention, and obesity’s metabolic consequences. The possible mechanisms include effect on satiety, lipid absorption, fatty acids beta oxidation, stimulation of thermogenesis, etc. Conclusions: Functional foods, as part of a balanced diet, could be useful in the direction of weight management and decrease of obesity’s’ metabolic consequences. However, the scientific evidence is unclear and in most cases controversial and more clinical and epidemiological studies are needed in order to further investigate the mechanisms of their possible effect.

Differentiation of avocados according to their botanical variety using liquid chromatographic fingerprinting and multivariate classification tree

BACKGROUND

The oil content, composition and marketing threshold value of an avocado depends on the cultivar hence, identifying the cultivar of the avocado fruit is desirable. However, analytical methods have not been reported with this aim.

RESULTS

A multivariate classification tree method was proposed to discriminate three commercial botanical varieties of avocado: Hass, Fuerte and Bacon, using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a charged aerosol detector (HPLC-CAD). Prior to the chromatographic analysis the avocados were lyophilized and then the oil fraction was extracted using a pressurized liquid extraction system. Normal and reverse phase liquid chromatography were applied in order to obtain the chromatographic fingerprint for each sample. Soft independent modelling of class analogies (SIMCA) and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were applied. Classification quality metrics were determined to evaluate the performance of the classification. Several strategies to develop the classification models were employed. Finally, the useful application of 'classification trees' methodology, which has been scarcely applied in the field of analytical food control, was evaluated to perform a multiclass classification.

CONCLUSION

Discrimination of the three botanical varieties was achieved. The best classification was obtained when the PLS-DA is applied on the normal-phase chromatographic fingerprints. Classification trees are showed to be useful tools that provide complementary information to single concatenated models showing different results from the same prediction sample set. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transcriptome Profiling Provides Insight into the Genes in Carotenoid Biosynthesis during the Mesocarp and Seed Developmental Stages of Avocado (Persea americana)

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an economically important crop because of its high nutritional value. However, the absence of a sequenced avocado reference genome has hindered investigations of secondary metabolism. For next-generation high-throughput transcriptome sequencing, we obtained 365,615,152 and 348,623,402 clean reads as well as 109.13 and 104.10 Gb of sequencing data for avocado mesocarp and seed, respectively, during five developmental stages. High-quality reads were assembled into 100,837 unigenes with an average length of 847.40 bp (N50 = 1725 bp). Additionally, 16,903 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected, 17 of which were related to carotenoid biosynthesis. The expression levels of most of these 17 DEGs were higher in the mesocarp than in the seed during five developmental stages. In this study, the avocado mesocarp and seed transcriptome were also sequenced using single-molecule long-read sequencing to acquired 25.79 and 17.67 Gb clean data, respectively. We identified 233,014 and 238,219 consensus isoforms in avocado mesocarp and seed, respectively. Furthermore, 104 and 59 isoforms were found to correspond to the putative 11 carotenoid biosynthetic-related genes in the avocado mesocarp and seed, respectively. The isoform numbers of 10 out of the putative 11 genes involved in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway were higher in the mesocarp than those in the seed. Besides, alpha- and beta-carotene contents in the avocado mesocarp and seed during five developmental stages were also measured, and they were higher in the mesocarp than in the seed, which validated the results of transcriptome profiling. Gene expression changes and the associated variations in gene dosage could influence carotenoid biosynthesis. These results will help to further elucidate carotenoid biosynthesis in avocado.

Hass Avocado Inclusion in a Weight-Loss Diet Supported Weight Loss and Altered Gut Microbiota: A 12-Week Randomized, Parallel-Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Avocados contain fiber, lutein, and vitamin E, and they are a rich source of MUFAs. The effect of including an avocado daily as part of a hypocaloric weight-loss diet on weight loss is not known.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of daily avocado consumption as part of a hypocaloric diet on weight loss, body composition, satiety, biomarkers of inflammation, and intestinal microbiota composition.

METHODS

In this randomized, parallel-controlled, open-label, 2-arm intervention study, 51 healthy overweight/obese women and men were assigned to a hypocaloric diet with 1 Hass avocado daily (AVO; n = 24) or a hypocaloric diet (CTRL; n = 27) without daily avocado for 12 wk. Serum markers and intestinal microbiota were analyzed at baseline and week 12.

RESULTS

Both groups experienced significant weight loss, decrease in BMI (in kg/m2), total body fat, and visceral adipose tissue, respectively (AVO: -2.3 ± 2 kg, -0.8 ± 0.8, -1.1% ± 2%, and -81.2 ± 118 g; CTRL: -2.6 ± 3.6 kg, -0.9 ± 1, -1.5% ± 2%, and -87.4 ± 216 g). We observed a significant decrease in serum glucose over time in the control group compared with the AVO group. There was no change between the groups in serum triglyceride, but a significant decrease from baseline to 12 wk was observed in the AVO group. Serum hepatic growth factor (HGF) and relative proportion of bacterial phyla (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes), family (Bacteroidaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae), and genus (Bacteroides, Clostridium, Methanosphaera, and Candidatus Soleaferrea) were significantly altered in the AVO group compared with the CTRL group. A trend to decrease in serum inflammatory factors IL-1β (P = 0.07) and C-reactive protein (P = 0.074) was observed in the AVO group compared with CTRL.

CONCLUSIONS

Daily Hass avocado consumption as part of a hypocaloric diet supported weight loss, a decrease in serum HGF, and an increase in the abundance of bacteria involved in plant polysaccharide fermentation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02953158.

Bioactive potential of fruit and vegetable wastes

Fruits and vegetables are essential for human nutrition, delivering a substantial proportion of vitamins, minerals, and fibers in our daily diet. Unfortunately, half the fruits and vegetables produced worldwide end up as wastes, generating environmental issues caused mainly by microbial degradation. Most wastes are generated by industrial processing, the so-called by-products. These by-products still contain many bioactive compounds post-processing, such as macronutrients (proteins and carbohydrates) and phytochemicals (polyphenols and carotenoids). Recently, the recovery of these bioactive compounds from industry by-products has received significant attention, mainly due to their possible health benefits for humans. This chapter focuses on the bioactive potential of fruit and vegetable by-products with possible applications in the food industry (functional foods) and in the health sector (nutraceuticals).

Improving the Productivity of Avocado Seed for Create High Value Products

Nowadays there is a significant increase in the consumption of vegetables and fruits, due toall the therapeutic properties that have been associated with them, some of these fruits and vegetablesare consumed in processed form [1]. During the process, byproducts such as husks and seeds aregenerated, which are usually difficult to handle waste since they have a high organic load and carryan additional cost for their treatment [2]. Proteins, carbohydrates, bioactive substances, essential oils,are some of the compounds that can be found in this type of waste [3-6]. The subproduct mentionedcan be used as raw material for obtaining other products of high value for consumption. The objectiveof the present investigation was to determine the concentration of various minerals, fatty acids,resveratrol and phytosterols present in the avocado seed in order to add value to this residue. Afterconducting all these experiments in the laboratory, it was shown that the avocado seed containsresveratrol and other components that help improve glucose and cholesterol levels. An avocado seedsupplement was obtained that has been tested with rabbits for the moment.

Avocado-related knife injuries: Describing an epidemic of hand injury

INTRODUCTION

Recent media reports have described knife injuries sustained while preparing avocados; however, this rise has not been reported in the literature. The purpose of this study is to describe, quantify, and trend emergency department (ED) encounters associated with avocado-related knife injuries.

METHODS

The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried for avocado-related knife injuries from 1998 to 2017. Patient demographic and injury data was collected and analyzed to describe trends in incidence, patient demographics, and injury patterns associated with an ED encounter for an avocado-related knife injury.

RESULTS

There were an estimated 50,413 (95% Confidence Interval: 46,333-54,492) avocado-related knife injuries from 1998 to 2017. The incidence of avocado-related knife injuries increased over this time period (1998-2002 = 3143; 2013-2017 = 27,059). This increase correlated closely with a rise in avocado consumption in the U.S. (Pearson's Correlation: 0.934, p < 0.001) Women comprised 80.1% of injuries. The most common demographic injured were 23 to 39-year old females (32.7%), while the least common was males under the age of 17 (0.9%). Most ED presentations occurred on Saturdays (15.9%) or Sundays (19.9%) and the majority occurred during the months of April through July (45.6%). Injuries were much more common on the left (and likely non-dominant) hand.

CONCLUSION

Avocado-related knife injuries are a preventable cause of hand injury. The incidence has risen significantly in recent years, possibly due to an increased consumption of avocados in the United States. Education on safe avocado preparation techniques and public safety initiatives, such as warning labels, could help prevent serious injuries in the future.

Primary Metabolism in Avocado Fruit

Avocado (Persea americana Mill) is rich in a variety of essential nutrients and phytochemicals; thus, consumption has drastically increased in the last 10 years. Avocado unlike other fruit is characterized by oil accumulation during growth and development and presents a unique carbohydrate pattern. There are few previous and current studies related to primary metabolism. The fruit is also quite unique since it contains large amounts of C7 sugars (mannoheptulose and perseitol) acting as transportable and storage sugars and as potential regulators of fruit ripening. These C7 sugars play a central role during fruit growth and development, but still confirmation is needed regarding the biosynthetic routes and the physiological function during growth and development of avocado fruit. Relatively recent transcriptome studies on avocado mesocarp during development and ripening have revealed that most of the oil is synthesized during early stages of development and that oil synthesis is halted when the fruit is harvested (pre-climacteric stage). Most of the oil is accumulated in the form of triacylglycerol (TAG) representing 60-70% in dry basis of the mesocarp tissue. During early stages of fruit development, high expression of transcripts related to fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis has been reported and downregulation of same genes in more advanced stages but without cessation of the process until harvest. The increased expression of fatty acid key genes and regulators such as PaWRI1, PaACP4-2, and PapPK-β-1 has also been reported to be consistent with the total fatty acid increase and fatty acid composition during avocado fruit development. During postharvest, there is minimal change in the fatty acid composition of the fruit. Almost inexistent information regarding the role of organic acid and amino acid metabolism during growth, development, and ripening of avocado is available. Cell wall metabolism understanding in avocado, even though crucial in terms of fruit quality, still presents severe gaps regarding the interactions between cell wall remodeling, fruit development, and postharvest modifications.

Avocado Oil: Characteristics, Properties, and Applications

Avocado oil has generated growing interest among consumers due to its nutritional and technological characteristics, which is evidenced by an increase in the number of scientific articles that have been published on it. The purpose of the present research was to discuss the extraction methods, chemical composition, and various applications of avocado oil in the food and medicine industries. Our research was carried out through a systematic search in scientific databases. Even though there are no international regulations concerning the quality of avocado oil, some authors refer to the parameters used for olive oil, as stated by the Codex Alimentarius or the International Olive Oil Council. They indicate that the quality of avocado oil will depend on the quality and maturity of the fruit and the extraction technique in relation to temperature, solvents, and conservation. While the avocado fruit has been widely studied, there is a lack of knowledge about avocado oil and the potential health effects of consuming it. On the basis of the available data, avocado oil has established itself as an oil that has a very good nutritional value at low and high temperatures, with multiple technological applications that can be exploited for the benefit of its producers.

Anthocyanin and Oil Contents, Fatty Acids Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Mexican Landrace Avocado Fruits

Mexican landrace avocados are naturally distributed mainly in high areas of central Mexico, where they have been produced and consumed since pre-Hispanic times. However, trees of these species are being replaced by improved varieties with greater global demand, and many species have been lost due to the destruction of their natural habitats. Many people in Mexico like to consume the pulp and peel of these fruits and have done so since pre-Hispanic times. This is because the peel of Mexican landrace avocados, unlike the peel of Hass avocados, is very thin and flavorful. The peel color may be bluish-purple or dark reddish due to the presence of anthocyanins, which are compounds with antioxidant activity. The objective of this study was to assess the oil and anthocyanin contents and to evaluate the antioxidant activity in fruits of 11 accessions collected from producing-regions of Mexico. The oil content was 16.2 to 32.3 g 100 g^-1 in pulp, and the main unsaturated fatty acids were oleic, linoleic and palmitoleic acids, depending on the accession. The anthocyanin contents in peels ranged from 0.64 to 47 mg g^-1 fresh weight. The highest antioxidant activity was found in the peel (53.3-307.3 mmol g^-1 fresh weight). The results confirm that the pulp and peel of dark-peel Mexican landrace avocados could be important nutraceuticals for humans.

Transcriptome Sequencing of Different Avocado Ecotypes: de novo Transcriptome Assembly, Annotation, Identification and Validation of EST-SSR Markers

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) could be considered as an important tropical and subtropical woody oil crop with high economic and nutritional value. Despite the importance of this species, genomic information is currently unavailable for avocado and closely related congeners. In this study, we generated more than 216 million clean reads from different avocado ecotypes using Illumina HiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology. The high-quality reads were assembled into 154,310 unigenes with an average length of 922 bp. A total of 55,558 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci detected among the 43,270 SSR-containing unigene sequences were used to develop 74,580 expressed sequence tag (EST)-SSR markers. From these markers, a subset of 100 EST-SSR markers was randomly chosen to identify polymorphic EST-SSR markers in 28 avocado accessions. Sixteen EST-SSR markers with moderate to high polymorphism levels were detected, with polymorphism information contents ranging from 0.33 to 0.84 and averaging 0.63. These 16 polymorphic EST-SSRs could clearly and effectively distinguish the 28 avocado accessions. In summary, our study is the first presentation of transcriptome data of different avocado ecotypes and comprehensive study on the development and analysis of a set of EST-SSR markers in avocado. The application of next-generation sequencing techniques for SSR development is a potentially powerful tool for genetic studies.

Avocado Juice Prevents the Formation of Trypsin Amyloid-Like Fibrils in Aqueous Ethanol

In this work fruit and vegetable juices were analyzed for their ability to prevent the aggregation of trypsin using turbidity measurement. Fruit and vegetable juices are capable of inhibiting the aggregation of PMS-trypsin in aqueous ethanol. Among the juices examined, avocado was found to be the most effective. Choline bitartrate was investigated for its ability to inhibit the fibrillation of PMS-trypsin. We have found that avocado juice and choline bitartrate have an inhibitory effect on the formation of trypsin amyloid-like fibrils using Congo red-binding assay.

Avocado Intake, and Longitudinal Weight and Body Mass Index Changes in an Adult Cohort

Avocados contain nutrients and bioactive compounds that may help reduce the risk of becoming overweight/obese. We prospectively examined the effect of habitual avocado intake on changes in weight and body mass index (BMI). In the Adventist Health Study (AHS-2), a longitudinal cohort (~55,407; mean age ~56 years; U.S. and Canada), avocado intake (standard serving size 32 g/day) was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Self-reported height and weight were collected at baseline. Self-reported follow-up weight was collected with follow-up questionnaires between four and 11 years after baseline. Using the generalized least squares (GLS) approach, we analyzed repeated measures of weight in relation to avocado intake. Marginal logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the odds of becoming overweight/obese, comparing low (>0 to <32 g/day) and high (≥32 g/day) avocado intake to non-consumers (reference). Avocado consumers who were normal weight at baseline, gained significantly less weight than non-consumers. The odds (OR (95% CI)) of becoming overweight/obese between baseline and follow-up was 0.93 (0.85, 1.01), and 0.85 (0.60, 1.19) for low and high avocado consumers, respectively. Habitual consumption of avocados may reduce adult weight gain, but odds of overweight/obesity are attenuated by differences in initial BMI values.

Maternal Supplementation With Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) Pulp and Oil Alters Reflex Maturation, Physical Development, and Offspring Memory in Rats

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an oleaginous fruit source of fatty acids with high levels of neuroprotective phytocomplexes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of reflex and somatic maturation, fatty acid profiles in the brain, and memory in different stages of life in the offspring of dams supplemented with avocado pulp and oil during gestation and lactation. The dams were randomly divided into three groups (n = 15 pups/group), and recieved by gavage supplementation: control group (CG)-distilled water; Avocado Oil (AO)-3,000 mg avocado oil/kg animal weight, and Avocado Pulp (AP)-3,000 mg avocado pulp/kg animal weight. We performed the following tests: Analysis of Somatic Development and Ontogeny of Postnatal Reflex (T0 to T21), the Open Field Habituation Test and the Object Recognition Test (ORT) in the adolescent (T45) and adult (T90) phases. The cerebral fatty acids content was evaluated at times T0, T21, T45, and T90. The results were analyzed using the statistical program GraphPad Prism and significant statistics were considered when p < 0.05. Acceleration of reflex maturation and reflex ontogeny was observed in the offspring of AO and AP fed dams, with the results being more pronounced in the pulp fed group (p < 0.05). All groups presented a decrease in the ambulation parameter in the second exposure to the Open Field Habituation Test, at T45 and T90 (p < 0.05). In the ORT, the AO and AP offspring presented memory improvements in the short and long term in the adult and adolescent phases (p < 0.05). The results of the brain fatty acid profiles presented higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content in the AO and AP groups at T21, T45, and T90. The docosahexaenoic fatty acid (DHA) content was higher at T21 (AO and AP), at T45 (AO and AP), and at T90 (AP) (p < 0.05). The arachidonic acid (ARA) content was higher at T45 (AO and AP), and at T90 (AO) (p < 0.05). Maternal supplementation with avocado oil and pulp anticipates reflex maturation and somatic postnatal development, and improves memory during the adolescent and adult phases.

Avocado Oil Extract Modulates Auditory Hair Cell Function through the Regulation of Amino Acid Biosynthesis Genes

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the most common causes of disability, affecting over 466 million people worldwide. However, prevention or therapy of SNHL has not been widely studied. Avocado oil has shown many health benefits but it has not yet been studied in regards to SNHL. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of avocado oil on SNHL in vitro and in vivo and elucidate its mode of action. For the present study, we used enhanced functional avocado oil extract (DKB122). DKB122 led to recovery of otic hair cells in zebrafish after neomycin-induced otic cell damage. Also, DKB122 improved auditory sensory transmission function in a mouse model of noise induced-hearing loss and protected sensory hair cells in the cochlea. In addition, RNA sequencing was performed to elucidate the mechanism involved. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that DKB122 protected House Ear Institute-Organ of Corti 1 (HEI-OC1) cells against neomycin-related alterations in gene expression due to oxidative stress, cytokine production and protein synthesis.

Anti-Colitic Effects of Ethanol Extract of Persea americana Mill. through Suppression of Pro-Inflammatory Mediators via NF-κB/STAT3 Inactivation in Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis Mice

Persea americana Mill, cv. Hass, also known as avocado, has been reported to possess hypolipidemic, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, cardioprotective, and photoprotective potencies. However, few studies have reported its anti-colitic effects. In this study, we investigated anti-colitic effects of ethanol extract of P. americana (EEP) in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitic mice and the involved molecular mechanisms. EEP effectively improved clinical signs and histological characteristics of DSS-induced colitis mice. In DSS-exposed colonic tissues, EEP reduced expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Moreover, EEP suppressed DSS-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Consistent with in vivo results, EEP also suppressed protein and mRNA expression levels of iNOS, COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines via NF-κB and STAT3 inactivation in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. Taken together, our data indicate that ethanol extract of avocado may be used as a promising therapeutic against inflammatory bowel diseases by suppressing the NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathway.

Oleosome Oil Storage in the Mesocarp of Two Avocado Varieties

Studies on avocado oil have focused on the most common commercial cultivars, Hass, Fuerte, and Bacon, rather than the less common varieties, P. americana var. drymifolia and P. americana var. americana, even though the drymifolia variety has a higher oil content and the americana variety is the most common avocado grown in the tropics. The most abundant storage structures for plant oils are the oleosomes, and the aim of this study was to determine the oleosome size, oil yield, and fatty acid composition of the americana and drymifolia varieties, using the Hass cultivar as a reference. Differences were found between the three avocado types for 1) oil yield, with drymifolia having higher and americana lower oil content (p < 0.05%), 2) oleosome size, with Hass having a larger (41.53 µm) and americana a smaller (11.96 µm) size, and 3) fatty acid composition, with the americana and drymifolia varieties showing less monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic) and more polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic) and saturated fatty acids (palmitic); while Hass had a high level (60%) of monounsaturated fatty acids. Small but significant differences were also found between oleosome and mesocarp oils isolated from the drymifolia and Hass types.

Perfil nutricional e benefícios do azeite de abacate (Persea americana ): uma revisão integrativa

Resumo O objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar uma revisão integrativa sobre a qualidade do perfil lipídico e dos compostos bioativos presentes no azeite de abacate, bem como sobre os seus potenciais benefícios para a saúde humana. Foram identificados trabalhos publicados nas bases de dados Scopus, PubMed, Lilacs, SciELO e Web of Science, além de Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações. A pesquisa encontrou dados referentes ao perfil lipídico e ao teor de substâncias bioativas presentes no azeite de abacate extraído das variedades Margarida, Quintal, Fortuna, Ouro Verde, Hass e Fuerte. O azeite de abacate caracteriza-se por apresentar, em média, teores elevados de ácidos graxos monoinsaturados (60%), teor intermediário de ácidos graxos saturados (24%) e baixo teor de ácidos graxos poli-insaturados (16%). O ácido graxo oleico (ômega-9) é o de maior concentração (aproximadamente 55%). Os principais esteróis, tocoferóis e carotenoides encontrados foram β-sitosterol, α-tocoferol e luteína, respectivamente. O azeite de abacate possui propriedades físico-químicas semelhantes às do azeite de oliva. Em modelos animais, é capaz de prevenir a disfunção mitocondrial cerebral e hepática induzida pelo diabetes, associado à diminuição de estresse oxidativo, LDL-c e peroxidação lipídica. Seus benefícios são atribuídos principalmente às concentrações de ácido oleico, por sua atividade cardioprotetora, ao β-sitosterol, por sua propriedade anti-inflamatória, e ao α-tocoferol e à luteína, pela propriedade antioxidante. Assim, o azeite de abacate se destaca pelo teor elevado de ácidos graxos monoinsaturados e de compostos bioativos, como tocoferóis, carotenoides e fitoesteróis. Análises em modelos animais, aliadas às análises de qualidade e segurança, atestam os benefícios e a possibilidade de introdução do referido azeite para uso comestível, substituindo óleos de qualidade inferior e criando nova alternativa gastronômica ao consumidor.

Estimating Avocado Sales Using Machine Learning Algorithms and Weather Data

Persea americana, commonly known as avocado, is becoming increasingly important in global agriculture. There are dozens of avocado varieties, but more than 85% of the avocados harvested and sold in the world are of the Hass one. Furthermore, information on the market of agricultural products is valuable for decision-making; this has made researchers try to determine the behavior of the avocado market, based on data that might affect it one way or another. In this paper, a machine learning approach for estimating the number of units sold monthly and the total sales of Hass avocados in several cities in the United States, using weather data and historical sales records, is presented. For that purpose, four algorithms were evaluated: Linear Regression, Multilayer Perceptron, Support Vector Machine for Regression and Multivariate Regression Prediction Model. The last two showed the best accuracy, with a correlation coefficient of 0.995 and 0.996, and a Relative Absolute Error of 7.971 and 7.812, respectively. Using the Multivariate Regression Prediction Model, an application that allows avocado producers and sellers to plan sales through the estimation of the profits in dollars and the number of avocados that could be sold in the United States was created.

Avocado Fruit on Postprandial Markers of Cardio-Metabolic Risk: A Randomized Controlled Dose Response Trial in Overweight and Obese Men and Women

Avocados are distinctive fruits having both fats and fibers along with various micronutrients and bioactive phytochemicals. This study aimed to assess the effects of replacing carbohydrate energy in meals with half or whole avocado on postprandial indices of metabolic and vascular health. A single-center, randomized, controlled, 3-arm, 6 h, crossover study was conducted in overweight/obese middle-aged adults (n = 31). Participants consumed energy-matched breakfast meals containing 0 g (Control), 68 g (Half-A) or 136 g (Whole-A) fresh Hass avocado on 3 separate occasions. Post-meal glycemic (p < 0.0001), insulinemic (p < 0.0001) and flow mediated vasodilation (FMD) responses were reduced compared to Control meal (p < 0.01), independent of dose. Nuclear magnetic resonance analyses indicated lower concentrations of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and higher concentrations of larger high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles after the Whole-A vs. the Control meal (p = 0.02, p < 0.05, respectively). Race/ethnicity influenced sub-class lipoprotein concentrations (p < 0.05). Oxidized low-density-lipoproteins, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and interleukin-6 were not different among meals. Tumor necrosis factor-α tended to be lower after Whole-A vs. Control meal (p = 0.07). Replacing carbohydrate components with avocados in a meal improved FMD, a measure of endothelial function, and improved glycemic and lipoprotein profiles in overweight/obese adults. The study provides insight on the acute cardio-metabolic benefits of incorporating avocados into a meal.

Spatial Distribution of Bactrocera dorsalis and Thaumatotibia leucotreta in Smallholder Avocado Orchards along Altitudinal Gradient of Taita Hills and Mount Kilimanjaro

Avocado (Persea americana) fruits are an important source of income and a nutritious food for small-scale growers and other stakeholders involved in farming along the Afrotropical highlands of Taita Hills and Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya and Tanzania, respectively. Avocado fruits are infested by several insect pests, namely the Asian invasive fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), and the false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). However, there is inadequate information on the distribution patterns of these pests in small-scale avocado cropping systems in the East African highlands. This study was initiated to generate a spatial distribution map of B. dorsalis and T. leucotreta in avocado orchards at Taita Hills and Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya and Tanzania, respectively. The two pests were monitored by using their respective parapheromone lures for two years between August 2012 and July 2014. Fruit damage was assessed by computing the proportion of infested fruits for B. dorsalis, whereas the damage score was used for T. leucotreta. Our results indicated that the mean number of B. dorsalis per trap per day differed significantly across elevation, being highest in lowland zone for both Taita Hills (15.90) and Mount Kilimanjaro (24.45). Similarly, the percentage infestation of ground collected fruits by B. dorsalis varied with altitude, being lowest at highlands above 1500 m.a.s.l. (0.66% and 0.83% for Taita Hills and Mount Kilimanjaro, respectively). Conversely, the mean number of T. leucotreta did not vary with altitude in either study area. However, the damage score for T. leucotreta infestation was significantly lower in the highlands of both transects (7.0% and11.1% for Taita Hills and Mount Kilimanjaro, respectively). These findings describe spatial trends that are important in formulating strategies aimed at suppressing the populations of B. dorsalis and T. leucotreta in East African avocado cropping systems.

Analytical Method To Detect and Quantify Avocatin B in Hass Avocado Seed and Pulp Matter

Avocatin B, an avocado-derived compound mixture, was demonstrated recently to possess potent anticancer activity by selectively targeting and eliminating leukemia stem cells. Avocatin B is a mixture of avocadene and avocadyne, two 17-carbon polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs), first discovered in avocado seeds; their quantities in avocado pulp are unknown. Analytical methods to detect avocado seed PFAs have utilized NMR spectroscopy and GC-MS; both of these lack quantitative capacity and accuracy. Herein, we report a sensitive LC-MS method for the quantitation of avocadene and avocadyne in avocado seed and pulp. The method has a reliable and linear response range of 0.1-50 μM (0.03-17.2 ng/μL) for both avocadene and avocadyne ( r² > 0.990) with a lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of 0.1 μM. The intra- and interassay accuracy and precision of the quality control (QC) samples at LLOQ showed ≤18.2% percentage error and ≤14.4% coefficient of variation (CV). The intra- and interassay accuracy and precision for QC samples at low and high concentrations were well below 10% error and CV. This method was successfully applied to quantify avocadene and avocadyne in total lipid extracts of Hass avocado pulp and seed matter.

Avocado consumption and risk factors for heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Nutrients in avocados are associated with cardiovascular benefits.

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of avocado intake on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk with the use of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Design

MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, and Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau abstracts were searched from 1946 through September 2017 for publications on avocado intake and CVD risk. All designs except for cross-sectional studies that evaluated avocado intake were included. Two investigators independently screened citations and extracted data. Random-effects models meta-analysis was used when ≥3 studies reported the same outcome.

Results

Of 18 eligible studies (481 subjects), 7 studies compared avocado intake with no intake, 3 studies compared avocado plus monounsaturated fat intake with a control, and 8 studies reported data for qualitative synthesis. In 7 studies, avocado intake significantly increased HDL cholesterol (summary net change: 2.84 mg/dL; 95% CI: 0.18, 5.49 mg/dL), with significant heterogeneity. This remained consistent in sensitivity and subgroup analyses. There was no significant difference between avocado intake and the control for the outcomes of serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), ratios of TC to HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, and body weight. In qualitative synthesis, there was no significant difference between groups for blood glucose (2 studies), homeostasis model assessment (1 of 2 studies), oxidized LDL (2 studies), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (2 studies), or apolipoprotein B (2 studies) or, in 1 study each, for body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, arterial compliance, fibrinogen, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, and serum nitric oxide. No studies reported incident clinical outcomes of CVD, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and other clinical endpoints.

Conclusions

Avocado intake resulted in no difference in serum TC, LDL-cholesterol, and TG concentrations, but it did increase serum HDL-cholesterol concentrations, with significant heterogeneity. The association between avocado intake and CVD risk should be confirmed by well-conducted prospective observational studies or long-term trials.

Maintaining postharvest quality of cold stored 'Hass' avocados by altering the fatty acids content and composition with the use of natural volatile compounds - methyl jasmonate and methyl salicylate

BACKGROUND

Low temperatures are often used to reduce metabolic processes and extend the storage life of fruit; however, in the case of avocado, a temperature below 3 °C will often result in the development of physiological disorders associated with chilling injury. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and methyl salicylate (MeSA) vapours to alleviate chilling injury in 'Hass' avocado fruit kept at 2 °C for 21 days followed by 6-7 days of shelf-life at 20 °C, simulating supply chain conditions.

RESULTS

The incidence and severity of chilling injury were significantly reduced in MeJA- and MeSA-exposed fruit, especially at 100 µmol L^-1 . The mechanism involved improved membrane integrity via alteration of the fatty acid content and composition, down-regulation of LOX gene expression and reduced activity of lipoxygenase.

CONCLUSION

MeJA and MeSA have the potential for being used with 'Hass' avocado fruit shipped at low temperature to reduce its susceptibility to chilling injury. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Lutein accumulates in subcellular membranes of brain regions in adult rhesus macaques: Relationship to DHA oxidation products

OBJECTIVES

Lutein, a carotenoid with anti-oxidant functions, preferentially accumulates in primate brain and is positively related to cognition in humans. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), is also beneficial for cognition, but is susceptible to oxidation. The present study characterized the membrane distribution of lutein in brain regions important for different domains of cognitive function and determined whether membrane lutein was associated with brain PUFA oxidation.

METHODS

Adult rhesus monkeys were fed a stock diet (~2 mg/day lutein or ~0.5 μmol/kg body weight/day) (n = 9) or the stock diet plus a daily supplement of lutein (~4.5 mg/day or~1 μmol/kg body weight/day) and zeaxanthin (~0.5 mg/day or 0.1 μmol/kg body weight/day) for 6-12 months (n = 4). Nuclear, myelin, mitochondrial, and neuronal plasma membranes were isolated using a Ficoll density gradient from prefrontal cortex (PFC), cerebellum (CER), striatum (ST), and hippocampus (HC). Carotenoids, PUFAs, and PUFA oxidation products were measured using HPLC, GC, and LC-GC/MS, respectively.

RESULTS

All-trans-lutein (ng/mg protein) was detected in all regions and membranes and was highly variable among monkeys. Lutein/zeaxanthin supplementation significantly increased total concentrations of lutein in serum, PFC and CER, as well as lutein in mitochondrial membranes and total DHA concentrations in PFC only (P<0.05). In PFC and ST, mitochondrial lutein was inversely related to DHA oxidation products, but not those from arachidonic acid (P <0.05).

DISCUSSION

This study provides novel data on subcellular lutein accumulation and its relationship to DHA oxidation in primate brain. These findings support the hypothesis that lutein may be associated with antioxidant functions in the brain.

Influence of Dietary Avocado on Gut Health in Rats

This study investigated the impact of diets containing various levels of avocado (5, 10 and 15%) on gut health in rats fed for six weeks. Avocado-fed rats had significantly higher food intakes while their body weights remained similar to the control diet-fed rats. No significant changes in intestinal bacterial populations (ileum, cecum and colon) were found in rats fed avocado diets compared to the control diet. Ileum and colon tissues of rats fed avocado diets showed significantly higher expression of genes (β-defensin 1, mucin 3 or mucin 4) and a greater number of mucin-producing goblet cells in the colon. The percentage of avocado in the diet had varying effects in altering the biomarkers, whereby diet containing 15% avocado was the more effective diet. This study delivers new knowledge on the role of avocado on gut health in rats.

Control of anthracnose disease via increased activity of defence related enzymes in 'Hass' avocado fruit treated with methyl jasmonate and methyl salicylate

Development of anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz. is one of the major issues within the avocado supply chain. Exposure to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and methyl salicylate (MeSA) vapours at 10 and 100µmoll^-1 was investigated as an alternative solution to commercial fungicide - prochloraz® that is currently being used by the industry. The incidence of anthracnose disease was found to be significantly reduced in 'Hass' avocado fruit treated with MeJA or MeSA vapours, especially at 100μmoll^-1. The mechanism involved enhanced activity of defence related enzymes, i.e. chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and PAL, and higher content of epicatechin.

Effects of Avocado (Persea americana) on Metabolic Syndrome: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of risk factors including high blood glucose, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity that lead to the increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are among leading causes of death in the world. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and CVDs by approximately five and three folds, respectively. Therefore, it is of vital importance to manage such conditions with herbal options which have less undesirable adverse effects and may be more efficacious in comparison with synthetic options. Avocado is a well-known source of carotenoids, minerals, phenolics, vitamins, and fatty acids. The lipid-lowering, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antithrombotic, antiatherosclerotic, and cardioprotective effects of avocado have been demonstrated in several studies. In this review, we aimed to find out avocado's pharmacological effects on different components of MetS. Moreover, this review report is performed on the MetS effects of peel, seed, flesh, and leaves of avocado. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.