The Avocado (Persea americana Mill.): A Review and Sustainability Perspectives

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) plant fruits are well-known for their high nutritional value, unique test, and healthy oil. It has a history of about 10,000 years. Avocado fruit offers many health benefits, and its production is rapidly increasing. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s recent data suggest that the Avocados produced in the world in 2019 was twice that of 2010 (3778010 tons). Avocado’s global Gross Production Value was about 5.812 billion USD in 2018, and it is likely to increase rapidly because of the increasing demand for Avocado fruits. Avocado oil is also used in the cosmetic industry because of its therapeutic properties, and it boosts the economic value of the Avocado industry. Avocado fruits have a rough green-gold skin; however, fruits are called ‘the green gold’ because of their massive global demand in the worldwide market and a lucrative business. The cultivation of Avocado has tremendous potential in increasing the rural economy, rural agriculture-based employment and reducing the poverty rate of growers. On the other hand, the Avocado industry is highly criticised because of deforestation, massive water utilisation, polluting water bodies with insecticides and fertilisers, posing a threat to other plant species, and environmental pollution. However, it doesn’t preclude the importance of Avocado. Cameroon’s average temperature is about 23 °C, which is considered optimal for Avocado propagation and commercial cultivation. Cameroon Association of Active Youths (CAMAAY) want to explore the possibilities of engaging Cameroon youths in Avocado cultivation. This review is aimed to provide an overview of Avocado. The review also highlights Avocado cultivation related issues from one health and sustainability perspective in line with the global goals.

Scientifically Formulated Avocado Fruit Juice: Phytochemical Analysis, Assessment of Its Antioxidant Potential and Consumer Perception

The study’s purpose was to find and create a nourishing fruit juice made from avocado to suit nutritional and health demands. In this regard, the avocado juice was formulated using a statistical technique, and its biochemical and phytochemical characteristics were evaluated. Statistically formulated fruit juice was evaluated for its sensory characteristics, proximate composition, nutrients and vitamins, total phenols and flavonoids, and for its antioxidant ability, in addition to a shelf-life test. The optimal amount of all ingredients included in the mathematical model for the preparation of the juice was 150 g of Persea americana (Avocado) fruit pulp, 12.5 g of honey and 100 mL of water. In fact, the composition of avocado juice was found to have higher phenolic (910.36 ± 0.215 mg EAG g−1/mL) and flavonoid (56.32 ± 1.26 mg QE g−1/ mL) amounts. DPPH, ABTS and FRAP antioxidant assays tended to be high compared with a standard. The shelf-life analysis indicated that the processed avocado juice (V7) had a long shelf life. In view of all these merits, a statistically formulated recipe for avocado fruit juice was recommended for the formulation of the most preferred health drink.

Study of Forming Factors Electronic Word of Mouth (EWOM) and Its Influence On Purchasing Fruit Products at Kojama Shop

Kojama Shop is an online platform that markets avocado butter products. To win the competition, Kojama Shop must improve Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) by knowing the factors that form eWOM and their effect on purchases. This study aims to determine the factors that form eWOM on the purchase of fruit products at the Kojama Shop and the influence of the factors formed from eWOM on the purchase of fruit products at the Kojama Shop. The selection of research places is intentional. The target of research is the follower of the Kojama Shop Instagram account that has already bought and consumed butter avocado fruit products at least 2 times, aged at least 18 years, and actively using social media Instagram. Data retrieval using survey methods through online questionnaires using Google forms. Sampling using the Unknown Population formula, the study took 151 respondents. Data analysis uses descriptive and multiple linear regression. The results showed that there are 5 factors of eWOM: Concern for Others, Expressing Positive Feelings, Economic Incentives, Helping the Company, and Platform Assistance. These five factors have a significant influence together and an individual towards the purchase.

Persea Americana L. (Avocado) Fruit Mesocarp intake in Experimental Diabetic Rats: Impacts and Implication of Mode of Consumption

Background: Few epidemiological data exist on the effects of the mode of consumption of avocado on diet quality, weight management, and lipoglycemic profile in diabetic condition and other metabolic disease risk factors. Objectives: This study investigated the metabolic, lipoglycemic, and anthropometric impacts of avocado fruit mesocarp intake and the implication of its mode of consumption on body weight gain, lipid profile, glycemic tolerance and control in male diabetic Wistar rats. Method: Twenty one (21) adult male Wistar rats (150-220g) were randomly categorized into three experimental groups (n = 7, each): Diabetic control fed with normal diet (DC); Diabetic rats fed with avocado supplemented diet (DSA); Diabetic rats treated with aqueous mesocarp extract of avocado (DAE). Diabetes was inducted with 150 mg/dL, alloxan monohydrate solution intraperitoneally. Animals were fed according to the experimental design with water ad libitum for six weeks. Body weights and fasting blood glucose (FBG) concentrations were measured twice weekly. LP and OGTT were conducted. Microsoft Excel and statistical SPSS program version 22 were used for data analysis. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM. Comparison between groups were made using Students’t-test and one way ANOVA. Results: Consumption of avocado mesocarp caused significant reduction in mean body weight gain (DSA: 13.75%; DAE: 10.17%; P value < 0.05) and blood glucose concentrations (DSA: 9.48%; DAE: 21.0%; P = 0.002) with significant improvement in glycemic tolerance and lipid profile (DAE > DSA) over the control. Peaked glycemic responses occurred at 30 minutes of glucose challenge in DSA and DAE groups. Conclusion: Avocado fruit mesocarp intake reduced body weight gain and blood sugar with improved lipid profile and glycemic tolerance in experimental diabetic rats while the mode of consumption influenced its potential impacts.

Non-Chemical Treatments for the Pre- and Post-Harvest Elicitation of Defense Mechanisms in the Fungi–Avocado Pathosystem

The greatest challenge for the avocado (Persea americana Miller) industry is to maintain the quality of the fruit to meet consumer requirements. Anthracnose is considered the most important disease in this industry, and it is caused by different species of the genus Colletotrichum, although other pathogens can be equally important. The defense mechanisms that fruit naturally uses can be triggered in response to the attack of pathogenic microorganisms and also by the application of exogenous elicitors in the form of GRAS compounds. The elicitors are recognized by receptors called PRRs, which are proteins located on the avocado fruit cell surface that have high affinity and specificity for PAMPs, MAMPs, and DAMPs. The activation of defense-signaling pathways depends on ethylene, salicylic, and jasmonic acids, and it occurs hours or days after PTI activation. These defense mechanisms aim to drive the pathogen to death. The application of essential oils, antagonists, volatile compounds, chitosan and silicon has been documented in vitro and on avocado fruit, showing some of them to have elicitor and fungicidal effects that are reflected in the postharvest quality of the fruit and a lower incidence of diseases. The main focus of these studies has been on anthracnose diseases. This review presents the most relevant advances in the use of natural compounds with antifungal and elicitor effects in plant tissues.

The Effect of Hydrothermal Treatment on Metabolite Composition of Hass Avocados Stored in a Controlled Atmosphere

Avocado cv. Hass consumption has expanded worldwide given its nutritional, sensory, and functional attributes. In this work, avocado fruit from two harvests was subjected to hydrothermal treatment (38 °C for 1 h) or left untreated (control) and then stored for 30 and 50 days in a controlled atmosphere (4 kPa O2 and 6 kPa CO2 at 7 °C) (HTCA and CA, respectively) with subsequent ripening at ~20 °C. The fruit was evaluated for primary and secondary metabolites at harvest, after storage, and after reaching edible ripeness. A decrease from harvest to edible ripeness in mannoheptulose and perseitol was observed while β-sitosterol, hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activity (H-AOX, L-AOX), abscisic acid, and total phenolics (composed of p-coumaric and caffeic acids such as aglycones or their derivatives) increased. HTCA fruit at edible ripeness displayed higher contents of mannoheptulose, perseitol, β-sitosterol, L-AOX, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid derivatives, while CA fruit presented higher contents of α-tocopherol, H-AOX, and syringic acid glycoside for both harvests and storage times. The results indicate that a hydrothermal treatment prior to CA enables fruit of high nutritional value characterized by enhanced content of phenolic compounds at edible ripeness to reach distant markets.

Avocado fruit supply chain management in West Java

Avocado is one of the leading fruit commodities with high competitiveness and a source of growth for farmers’ welfare in rural areas in Indonesia. This paper aims to analyze the performance of avocado supply chain management in the Garut and Bandung Districts. The analysis focused on five components of supply chain management: planning source of avocado, procurement, processing, distribution, and receiving of products. Data collection is conducted through survey methods and focus group discussion (FGD) with actors on each supply chain node according to purpose and market segment. The results showed that the lack of variety, quantity, and continuity of supply is consistent with the dynamic of market demand and domestic and global consumer preferences. The performance of supply chain implementation for avocado at the planning level was at 45%–90%, product distribution performance was at a moderate level at 25%–80%, delivery of goods was at a good level at 70%–83%, and receiving product performance was at 0%–100%. Strategies to restrain the entry of imported fruit and penetrate the avocado fruit export market are required to improve product competitiveness, quality management, and integrated product chain management.