A Colored Avocado Seed Extract as a Potential Natural

ColorantVol. 76, Nr. 9, 2011 pgs.

C1335-c1341Deepti Dabas, Ryan J. Elias, Joshua D. Lambert, Gregory R. Ziegler

Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Funded in part by NIH grant AT 004678

By Abby McNeil and Jason Price

Introduction

+O2

Avocado Seed

Water Orange Color Formation

+

Experimental Objectives:•Characterization of color formation•Describe the mechanism of color formation•Discuss properties of Avocado Extract

Materials • Buffer solutions

– Saline at various pHs (2, 4, 6, 7.5, 9, 11)

• Reagents– Mushroom PPO– Horseradish Peroxidase– Hydrogen Peroxide– Tropolone– Methanol– Sodium Carbonate

Solution

• Avocado Seeds• Blendor• Branson Sonicating

Water Bath• Centrifuge• Spectrophotometer• Incubators• Desiccator

Methods

• Preparation of colored extract• Kinetics of color formation• Role of PPO in color formation• Role of Peroxidase in color formation• Phenolic content of the colored extract• Effects of pH on color of extract• Color Stability

Results/Discussion

• Kinetics of color formation• Role of PPO in color development

• Phenolic Content• Effect of pH on color• Stability of the colored extract

Kinetics of Color

formation• A) visual

color change

• B) Spectral scan of 35-min sample

• C) Abs read @480nm (λmax from B)

• D) Color change w/ time of incubation

Methanol: Ethyl AcetateWater Fraction

Total Phenolic Content

Conclusions

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Strengths– Phenolic content gives

potential cause of good natural colorant

– Broad coverage of potential uses and safety of avocado seed extract

– Results communicated well through visuals

– Detailed discussion– Growing interest in natural

colorant sources

• Weaknesses– pH factor: storage

conditions must be considered

– Not enough research• One of the most recent

avocado seed experiment

Our Suggestions for improvement

• Further research is required to make strong claims to the positive contributions Avocado seeds can make to Food Chemistry and the food industry.

Questions?