UNSAPONIFIABLE MATTER, TOTAL STEROL AND TOCOPHEROL CONTENTS OF AVOCADO OIL VARIETIES

Four varieties (Zutano, Bacon, Fuerte, Lula) of avocado (Persea anteri cana) have been investigated for their unsaponifiable matter (UM) in m ature and immature fruits. The UM content in crude oil was always high er in immature fruits (15-40% vs. 4-9%). The UM was fractionated by hi gh-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of total st erols and tocopherol. The sterol content in the oil was always higher in immature (1.1-6.2%) than in mature (0.8-2.0%) fruits. The tocophero l content differed with the varieties (10.2-25.0 mg/100 g UM), and the levels in the oil were higher in immature (20.1-45.6 mg/100 g oil) th an in mature (5.7-10.3 mg/100 g oil) fruits.