Determination of non-structural carbohydrates by GC-MS in avocado flesh samples from different production areas in Spain

This study evaluates the content of C6 carbohydrates (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and C7 carbohydrates (D-mannoheptulose and perseitol) in Hass avocado samples from different production areas in Spain in order to determine whether significant differences exist and to investigate how climatic factors influence sugar composition. Understanding the impact of soil and climate factors on sugar levels is crucial for avocado growers, as it provides valuable information to adapt agricultural practices for optimal avocado growth and ripening. To achieve this, representative samples from eight different origins were analyzed by using a GC-MS methodology. In this way, a complete comparison was made by evaluating the content of each compound in the samples from each geographical origin. There were quite similarities between almost all the production areas (with some nuances), except in the case of Asturias and Motril. Samples from Motril, in absolute terms, were the richest in perseitol and D-mannoheptulose; those from Malaga in fructose and glucose; and those from Asturias in sucrose. The percentage of C6 and C7 sugars in each sample was also established, which could be of great interest to deepen the knowledge of the biochemistry and physiology of the ripening process of this climacteric fruit.