Carotenoids in pulp,peel and leaves of Persea americana

A complex pattern of chloroplast pigments was found to be common to pulp, peel and leaves of avocado. This is explained by the presence of chlorophyll in the ripe fruit and its peel. Two chromoplast-specific pigments were found in ripe pulp and are tentatively identified as α-citraurin and mimulaxanthin. The identity of the latter and of neochrome, was established inter alia by the MS. The xanthophylls occur esterified to a major extent in pulp but entirely free in peel. The coexistence of chloroplast and chromoplast pigments in avocado fruit make this a suitable object for the ultrastructural studies of the origin of the chromoplasts.