Laboratory preparation and evaluation of Pollock variety avocado (Persea americana Mill) guacamole

Guacamole was produced from ripe avocado (Persea americana) by blending the pulp with local herbs, spices and salt. The guacamole was stored at 5 °C for 2 weeks, during which physical, chemical and microbial analyses were conducted. Organoleptic evaluations by a semi-trained panel were also performed, until the guacamole was deemed unfit for human consumption. The results indicated that fresh avocado pulp contains 835, 13, 16, 92, 44, 16 and 0.078 g kg−1, moisture, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, and vitamin C respectively, and has a pH of 6.7; compared with 838, 13, 16, 92, 44, 16, and 0.042 g kg−1, respectively, of the same nutrients in freshly prepared guacamole, which has a pH of 6.0. During storage, the moisture content, consistency, total soluble solids and total titratable acidity (as citric acid) of the guacamole increased, but the vitamin C content decreased. The color of the avocado pulp, which darkened during conversion into guacamole, darkened further as storage increased as evidenced by a decrease in the L, a and b values. Sensory evaluation revealed that the mean storage period (5 °C) for the guacamole was 6 days. Although the fresh avocado pulp, the freshly prepared guacamole, and the stored guacamole contained bacteria, yeasts and molds, the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella were absent. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry