Avocados do not ripen on the tree and so an extensive period of ripening must occur before consumption. Commercial ripening of avocados in California is most commonly performed in distribution centers or other dedicated facilities where the fruit is ripened to different levels of firmness, depending on the needs of the customer, prior to shipping to retail or food service outlets. Ethylene, at a concentration of 10–100 μL L−1, is used to facilitate the ripening, which requires from 8 h to 36 h, depending on temperature and maturity of the fruit (Eaks, 1966 and Anon., 2013). Although ripening immediately prior to marketing is preferred, it may be that the fruit are ripened and then placed into cold storage for a prolonged time awaiting demand and/or transportation. Although this is a common practice, there is insufficient information available regarding its influence on avocado fruit quality.