The use of low resolution nuclear magnetic resonance for determining avocado maturity by oil content

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Abstract
Summary: A method for determining oil content of dried avocado flesh using a low resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer is described. Forty samples were analysed for oil content by NMR, Soxhlet extraction and refractive index (RI) methods. Percentage of oil by NMR was more closely correlated with Soxhlet extracted oil (r=0.978) than was percentage of oil determined by a RI method (r=0.853).Data from approximately 700 avocado samples collected from the 1975, 1976 and 1978 Queensland growing seasons showed that percentage of oil determined by NMR was better correlated with percentage of dry matter than was percentage of oil determined by RI. Furthermore, the relationships between dry matter and oil were far more consistent between seasons for the NMR method than for the RI one.Advantages of using the NMR technique in avocados are simplicity, speed, low operator errors and the elimination of the use of dangerous or inflammable solvents. A reproducibility relative standard deviation (s.d.) of 0.6% was obtained.

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