Impact of fruit rot level on extra virgin cold-pressed avocado oil quality

Extra virgin cold-pressed avocado oil extraction uses physical processes, including grinding, malaxing, and centrifugation to recover the oil. New Zealand cold-pressed avocado oil is predominantly extracted from good quality fruit flesh with minimal skin. The resulting oil is a high-quality virgin oil suitable for culinary use without requiring subsequent refining. Avocados are susceptible to development of rots after harvest and delays in processing can lead to excessive body rots. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of flesh rot level (stem end and body rots) on the quality of cold-pressed avocado oil. Late season fully ripe (soft) ‘Hass’ avocados were extracted using a laboratory-scale extraction system. Oil from the fruit flesh containing increasing levels of rots (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, and > 75%) plus 10% skin were extracted after malaxing at 50C for 90 min. The inclusion of rotten fruit during oil extraction have an impact on the oil quality in terms of free fatty acids, peroxide value and UV absorbance values. Quality indices are important to determine if the oil meets extra virgin standards or needs to be further processed (i.e. refining). This research will assess the impact of fruit quality on oil quality – hence final consumption as extra virgin oil or a refined product.