Quantifying and Characterizing the Fiber in Hass Avocados During the Ripening Process
Reported avocado dietary fiber (DF) content and composition are inconsistently reported, particularly during ripening. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the amount and type of DF in Hass avocados and evaluate DF changes during ripening. Unripe (day 0), ripe (day 5), and overripe (day 12) Hass avocados were freeze-dried and defatted. DF was analyzed using non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) enzymatic-chemical methods. Per 100g of as-is avocado, unripe contained 3.96g total DF, ripe 3.68g, and overripe 3.26g. In ripe avocados, DF comprised 43% soluble (SDF) and 57% insoluble dietary fiber (IDF). SDF consisted primarily of rhamnogalacturonan-1 and arabinan pectins, while IDF was predominantly cellulose (32%), hemicelluloses (23%), and lignin (2%). Total DF decreased with ripening, with pectin undergoing solubilization and depolymerization, while cellulose and hemicelluloses remained stable. These findings are important as dietary fibers differentially influence intestinal microbial fermentation and health benefits.