(1) Background: Tocochromanols are a group of fat-soluble compounds including vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols) and plastochromanol-8, and just one avocado can contain up to 20% of the required vitamin E daily intake. (2) Methods: HPLC and LC-MS/MS analyses were performed in avocados of various varieties and origin for the identification and quantification of tocopherols, tocotrienols and plastochromanol-8. After selection of the variety with the highest vitamin E content, we evaluated to what extent short- (4 h) and long-term (10 d) cold storage influences the accumulation of tocochromanols. (3) Results: Analyses revealed that "Bacon" avocados (Persea americana Mill. cv. Bacon) were the richest in vitamin E compared to other avocado varieties (including the highly commercialized Hass variety), and they not only accumulated tocopherols (with 110 µg of a-tocopherol per g dry matter), but also tocotrienols (mostly in the form of g-tocotrienol, with 3 µg per g dry matter) and plastochromanol-8 (4.5 µg per g dry matter). While short-term cold shock did not negatively influence a-tocopherol contents, it increased those of g-tocopherol, g-tocotrienol, and plastochromanol-8 and decreased those of d-tocotrienol. Furthermore, storage of Bacon avocados for 10d led to a 20% decrease in the contents of a-tocopherol, whereas the contents of other tocopherols, tocotrienols and plastochromanol-8 were not affected. (4) Conclusions: It is concluded that Bacon avocados (i) are very rich in a-tocopherol, (ii) not only contain tocopherols, but also tocotrienols and plastochromanol-8, and (iii) their nutritional vitamin E value is negatively influenced by long-term cold storage.
Keywords: avocados (Persea americana Mill.); low temperatures; plastochromanol-8; tocochromanols; tocopherols; tocotrienols.