Abstract
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).
Highlights
Avocado represents a billion-dollar industry, the projection of the apparent per capita consumption of avocado sets the top six world importers of avocado to be US, Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, Spain, and Canada with 3.64, 1.62, 2.10, 2.21, 2.30, and 2.55 kg in a given year, respectively [1].Avocado exports have made some countries like Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica increase their cultivated area [1].Molecules 2019, 24, 4517; doi:10.3390/molecules24244517 www.mdpi.com/journal/moleculesThe topmost exporter countries have directed their offer to destinations such as the US, Europe, and Asia, especially China [2], where import growth is in the order of 250%, from 154 tons in 2012, to25,000 tons in 2016 [3,4]
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)
Hass fruit possesses ovoid pear shape, of medium size, with tough, We found in avocado both non-provitamin
Summary
Avocado represents a billion-dollar industry, the projection of the apparent per capita consumption of avocado sets the top six world importers of avocado to be US, Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, Spain, and Canada with 3.64, 1.62, 2.10, 2.21, 2.30, and 2.55 kg in a given year, respectively [1].Avocado exports have made some countries like Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica increase their cultivated area [1].Molecules 2019, 24, 4517; doi:10.3390/molecules24244517 www.mdpi.com/journal/moleculesThe topmost exporter countries have directed their offer to destinations such as the US, Europe, and Asia, especially China [2], where import growth is in the order of 250%, from 154 tons in 2012, to25,000 tons in 2016 [3,4]. The ripe avocado fruit has a firm, oily, and yellow to light green colored mesocarp that contains both fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids associated with other lipids [6] Both types of analysis have to be performed separately using different chromatographic conditions altogether, which represents an additional expense, both economic and in terms of labor. Analyzing both types of fat-soluble compounds is relevant, especially in fruits such as avocado in which there is evidence that carotenoid absorption might be improved by the addition of avocado and avocado oil [7,8,9]
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