| Summary: | Avocado fruits were collected throughout the season from California, USA and Michoacan, Mexico. Oil was made from high quality, Grade 1, and low quality, Grade 4, avocados from both regions using a laboratory-scale oil extraction mill through physical means. For each grade, oil was made from whole fruits and only the mesocarp. The impact of each of these parameters on free fatty acidity, peroxide value, specific extinction coefficients at 232 and 270 nm (K232 and K270), and the total phenolic content was determined. Results showed that fruit quality grade had the biggest effect on free fatty acidity; peroxide value was largely unaffected; and both grade and processing using whole versus mesocarp effected specific extinction coefficients values. Oil made from Grade 4 avocados had a higher total phenol content than Grade 1, with whole fruit having higher values overall than mesocarp. This is the first study that suggests avocado oil mechanically extracted from whole fruits can meet the grade standard for virgin and/or extra virgin. The ranges for each of the above quality parameters from this work can serve for standard establishment purposes.
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