Antioxidant capacity and quality of the avocado 'Fuerte' were evaluated. The fruits were maintained under room temperature (24 ± 1 ºC) and refrigeration (10 ± 1 ºC and 90±5% UR) during 15 days. Weight loss and respiratory rate were evaluated. Physical and chemical characteristics were determined: titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids (SS), ratio, pH, firmness, polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity, color (L, a* and b*), total phenolics and antioxidant activity (AA) for DPPH·. In the two storage conditions the breathing pick happened in the 9th day. The fruits maintained under refrigerated temperature presented smaller mass loss and larger firmness than those in room temperature. The respiratory behavior result in the values of TA and content of SS that decreased starting from respiratory pick. The pH values increased as a consequence of the decrease of the TA. Brightness values stayed high, being observed a decrease of the green component color and increase of the yellow in the pulp with the storage PPO activity decreased with the storage. The values of AA varied from 17,6 to 68,7%. Total phenolics content decreases after the breathing pick and growing values of AA were observed even after the 9th day.
Persea americana Mill.; free radical scavenger activity; refrigeration; total phenolics
