Compositional changes in triglycerides of avocado mesocarp associated with fruit development

Changes in triglyceride composition of avocado (Persea americana) oil samples were followed during fruit development. Four stages of development were selected. The varieties studied (Luda, Bacon, Fuerte, Zutano) were grown under in mediterranean-like agroclimatic conditions. Intercorrelation among individual triglycerides (TG) was identified, and their relation to variety and stage of development were observed by analysing the data from 154 samples of avocado fruits with factorial discriminant analysis (FDA). This statistical technique showed a good partition of samples among the different stages examined. The first axis of FDA represented the maturity index for all varieties. For the same stage of development, the differentiation of varieties is less precise with such a statistical technique. Nevertheless, the power of this technique based on the analysis of the TG was sufficient to lead to a correct classification for one stage. For the others, some misclassification occurred. Among the variables investigated only seven triglycerides remained essential. (Résumé d'auteur