The "Green Gold" May Have a Chance Towards Sustainability: Persea americana In Vitro Callus Cultures.

Abstract

Superfoods have gained increasing attention for their nutritional and functional properties, with avocado (Persea americana Mill.) among the most prominent examples owing to its health-promoting compounds. However, avocado cultivation is associated with several challenges, including high water demand, environmental impact, seasonal variability, and post-harvest losses. To address these limitations, in vitro plant cell cultures represent a sustainable and controlled alternative for producing avocado-derived material. In this study, avocado var. Hass callus cultures were established and evaluated as a potential source of functional metabolites. Colourimetric assays performed at different growth stages identified 14-day-old callus as the most enriched in phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity; this material was therefore selected for further analyses. LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS profiling revealed a phenolic-rich composition, including flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, galloyl derivatives and phenylpropanoid-related compounds, consistent with vegetative plant tissues. Nutritional analysis showed high moisture content and low lipid levels, differing in composition from the avocado pulp, along with a high content of attention-grabbing nutrients, such as protein and fibre. Overall, although further studies are required to confirm compound identity and assess safety for future applications, avocado calli represent a promising sustainable platform for the production of value-added bioactive compounds.