Avocado growers typically view the avocado seed as a waste product. But a study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists, found that crushing avocado seeds along with air generates an orange colour that may be used as natural colouring for food products in the future.
About 16% of the weight of an avocado is made up of the seed. The discovery of the natural orange colourant that the seeds yield represents a potential added value for avocado growers and companies that process avocado into oil or food products, like guacamole.
More stable and less expensive than natural colourants, artificial colours are often easier to produce and have better colouring properties than their natural counterparts. However, consumer trends have driven the effort to discover natural alternatives for colouring.
The Pennsylvania State University team that conducted the initial study is undertaking further research to assess the avocado seed’s potential qualities as a natural colourant. The seed may not just be beneficial to the food industry: the scientists will also be investigating the potential antioxidant and anticancer activity of the avocado seed extract. That’s quite a lot of use from a product that is usually seen as waste.