AVOCADO Culls May Prove Source of Oil and Livestock Feed

The commercial production of avocados is rapidly increasing in both California and Florida. The extension of the market caused by the increase in production naturally necessitates more rigid grading of the fruit than formerly.  This grading results in increasing quantities of culls, which consist very largely of blemished, misshaped, and undersized fruit. At present most of the culls are allowed to go to waste, but before long there will be a sufficient quantity of cull fruit for utilization on a small commercial scale.

One possible use for this fruit is the production of oil and press cake.  The oil could be used for edible purposes or for making soap, depending upon the quality; the press cake could be utilized for feeding poultry and stock. The oil, which is in the fleshy or edible part of the fruit, can be satisfactorily expressed only after partial dehydration of the fruit. After the removal of the seed the fruit is sliced, and the slices are dried in a current of air at room temperature. The oil is then expressed by means of a hydraulic press of cage type. The cold-pressed oil has but little odor, a pleasant fruity flavor, and good keeping properties when obtained from sound fruit.

The oil content, ranges from 14 to about 30 per cent of the edible portion of the fruit. The oil expressed from a sample of avocado of the Fuerte variety was dark green, but after the oil had stood for about six months in a gallon glass bottle in subdued light the green color largely disappeared. It is probable that avocados of some varieties would yield a yellow oil. Like olive and peanut oils, avocado oil belongs to the nondrying class.