AVOCADO OIL BITTERS AND POTENTIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHLOROPHYLL DEGRADATION

Avocado oil is valued for its antioxidant potential, conferred by phenolic compounds and chlorophyll pigments. However, chlorophyll and its degradation derivatives, pheophytins and pheophorbides, can impart bitterness, especially in artisanal, cold-pressed oils. These compounds, formed by the loss of the magnesium atom in an acidic medium and the phytyl tail, are directly related to the bitterness and oxidative stability of the product. This study adapted the International Bitterness Unit (IBU) methodology to analyze avocado oils from the Primavera and Margarida varieties (from Venda Nova do Imigrante-ES), in both artisanal and commercial versions, using olive oil and sunflower oil as controls. The samples were analyzed in triplicate (n=3), indirectly quantifying chlorophyll by absorbance at 670 nm in cyclohexane. The results revealed that the artisanal oils had the highest concentrations: Artisanal Primavera 40.5905 mg/kg of Chlorophyll and Artisanal Margarida 36.8482 mg/kg of Chlorophyll, with these oils being the most bitter. The commercial versions exhibited lower values: Commercial Primavera 36.4143 mg/kg of Chlorophyll and Commercial Margarida 16.4078 mg/kg of Chlorophyll, with no trace of bitterness. The non-bitter controls, olive oil 7.2903 mg/kg of Chlorophyll and sunflower oil 1.8140 mg/kg of Chlorophyll, showed the lowest indices. Considering the initial stage of the work, a complete statistical treatment has not yet been applied. However, for a preliminary assessment among the samples, data normality was verified to confirm the significance of the observed differences. The still high chlorophyll value in the industrial oil of the Primavera variety is due to its characteristic green color, as chlorophyll itself has no flavor; the bitterness originates from its degradation. The significant difference observed for the industrial Margarida variety corroborates the hypothesis that its filtration process more efficiently removes chlorophyll-derived compounds, resulting in a less bitter product. Artisanal processes, such as drying and pressing, accelerate the degradation of chlorophyll into pheophytins and pheophorbides. These compounds, although bitter, act as natural antioxidants. Therefore, the higher values found in the artisanal oils suggest not only a more intense sensory profile but also a greater antioxidant capacity and, consequently, better oxidative stability.