CALTFORXIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



21 



black. The skin should have a good finish, glossiness and clearness 

 of coloring being desirable. The surface need not be perfectly 

 smooth, but warty or exceedingly rough fruits should be discounted. 

 Fruit should be free from 1)lemishes such as cracks, wind scars, or 

 abrasions. 



Flesh. The flesh should be of a good butter color, with very 

 little green near the skin. The largest possible amount of flesh is 

 desirable. The flavor should be rich and nutty, the texture soft 

 and buttery, and the quality as high as possible. The less fiber 

 the better. 



Seed. The seed should be small and tight in the cavity. 



FOOD VALUE OF THE AVOCADO 



Professor M. E. Jaffa, Head of the Division of Nutrition, University 

 of California, Berkeley 



It is admitted by all that the avocado has a food ^'alue, and I 

 wish to ofifer some data which will tend to emphasize this fact and 

 to indicate that the avocado should not be considered merely as a 

 relish. 



One of the best definitions of food is, "Food is that which 

 when taken into the body either builds tissue or yields energy." 

 In accordance with this definition, water is not considered as a 

 nutrient in that water cannot build protein, fat or mineral matter 

 as such. At the same time it is agreed to by all that water is abso- 

 lutely necessary for the maintenance of life, health and activity. 

 So is fresh air. 



Does the avocado meet either or both of the requirements of 

 the foregoing definition? The answer is, 'Tt certainly does.'' The 

 next question is, how? Let us compare the avocado with other 

 fruits. 



A reference to the composition of fresh fruits in general shows 

 that the amount of water is large, in many instances above 80 per 

 cent, and in the case of melons above 90 per cent. The aA'ocado 

 shows upon an average only 70 per cent of water. Therefore the 

 amount of total dry matter or solids is far greater in the avocado 

 than is noted for any other fruit. 



The protein content of fruits is low, varying from .02 per cent 

 as an average for the loquat to 2.5 per cent for the olive. The 



