1919.\ 



THE AVOCADO IN TBINIDAD d- TOBAGO. 



123 



Percentage Composition of the Edible Poktion of the Avocado 



jAND Other Foods. 



As in most succulent fresh fruits there is a high percentage of water. 

 Wliilst liowever the food value of most fruits is due to the presence 

 of sugars, and fat or oil occurs in them to only a small extent, 

 the avocado is mainlj- valuable for its comparatively high fat content. 

 Analyses of 28 different varieties made in California byM. E.Jaffa (D 

 showed a range of from 9-8 per cent, to 29-1 per cent, with an average of 

 20"1 per cent. " The only fruit comparable with the avocado in this 

 respect is the olive." 



LOW OIL CONTENT OF TRINIDAD GROWN FRUIT. 



In looking up information on the oil contents of the Avocado I 

 became interested in the series of analyses referred to above by 

 Mr. E. .Jaffa. From the results obtained in efforts to extract the oil, it 

 seemed very improb;ible that Trinidad fruit contained anything 

 approaching this amount of fat. As on further investigation I could 

 find no records of the composition of Avocados grown in the wet 

 tropics, but only from sub-tropical regions such as Florida and Califoriiia, 

 it seemed very desirable to obtain some accurate information of West 

 Indian avocados. Accordingly I asked Mr. H. S. Shrewsbury, Acting 

 Government Analyst if he would make some analyses. This he did 

 and his results are appended (pages 184-5). 



(1.) The Avocado in Californin, Part ii. Composition and Food Value. 

 Bulletiu 254, Ag. Exp. Station, Univ. of California, 1915. 



