Assessing the RP-LC-MS-Based Metabolic Profile of <i>Hass</i> Avocados Marketed in Europe from Different Geographical Origins (Peru, Chile, and Spain) over the Whole Season
Irene Serrano-García,
Joel Domínguez-García,
Elena Hurtado-Fernández,
José Jorge González-Fernández,
José Ignacio Hormaza,
María Gemma Beiro-Valenzuela,
Romina Monasterio,
Romina Pedreschi,
Lucía Olmo-García,
Alegría Carrasco-Pancorbo
Affiliations
Irene Serrano-García
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Ave. Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
Joel Domínguez-García
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Ave. Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
Elena Hurtado-Fernández
Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Loyola, Campus Sevilla, Avda. de las Universidades S/N, 41704 Dos Hermanas, Spain
José Jorge González-Fernández
Institute for Mediterranean and Subtropical Horticulture (IHSM La Mayora-UMA-CSIC), 29750 Algarrobo-Costa, Spain
José Ignacio Hormaza
Institute for Mediterranean and Subtropical Horticulture (IHSM La Mayora-UMA-CSIC), 29750 Algarrobo-Costa, Spain
María Gemma Beiro-Valenzuela
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Ave. Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
Romina Monasterio
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Ave. Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
Romina Pedreschi
Escuela de Agronomía, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas y de los Alimentos, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Calle San Francisco S/N, La Palma, Quillota 2260000, Chile
Lucía Olmo-García
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Ave. Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
Alegría Carrasco-Pancorbo
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Ave. Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
Spain dominates avocado production in Europe, with the Hass variety being the most prominent. Despite this, Spanish production satisfies less than 10% of the overall avocado demand in Europe. Consequently, the European avocado market heavily relies on imports from overseas, primarily sourced from Peru and Chile. Herein, a comprehensive characterization of the metabolic profile of Hass avocado fruits from Spain, Peru, and Chile, available in the European market throughout the year, was carried out. The determination of relevant substances was performed using high- and low-resolution RP-LC-MS. Remarkable quantitative differences regarding phenolic compounds, amino acids, and nucleosides were observed. Principal component analysis revealed a natural clustering of avocados according to geographical origin. Moreover, a specific metabolic pattern was established for each avocado-producing country using supervised partial least squares discriminant analysis. Spanish fruits exhibited high levels of coumaric acid malonyl-hexose II, coumaric acid hexose II, and ferulic acid hexose II, together with considerably low levels of pantothenic acid and uridine. Chilean avocado fruits presented high concentrations of abscisic acid, uridine, ferulic acid, succinic acid, and tryptophan. Fruits from Peru showed high concentrations of dihydroxybenzoic acid hexose, alongside very low levels of p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, coumaric acid malonyl-hexose I, and ferulic acid hexose II.
