Avocados

Avocados are the pear-shaped fruits of Persea americana, also known as alligator pears, with leathery green or black skin enclosing yellow to green flesh and a single large pit. Compared with other fruits, avocados have unusually high protein and oil contents, with the oil dominated by heart-healthy oleic acid. Traditionally marketed fresh and used like a vegetable, they are processed into guacamole or pressed for avocado oil. Avocados will not ripen while still on the tree; packers usually apply ethylene in ripening rooms to bring about uniform softening. Their thin skin bruises easily, so gentle handling and cold-chain management from orchard to retailer are essential for quality.