Effect of blanching on aflatoxin contamination and cross-contamination of almonds.

Blanching of almonds was examined for reducing aflatoxin content of contaminated nuts. Almonds with intact pellicles were spiked with aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) and blanched at 85°C. Following blanching, almond kernels and pellicles contained 20% and 19% of spiked AFB 1 , respectively. Blanching water contained an additional 41% of spiked AFB 1 […]

Influence of Post‐Harvest Moisture on Roasted Almond Shelf Life and Consumer Acceptance.

Background: Sweet almonds (Prunus dulcis) harvest weights have significantly increased to meet consumer demand and now exceed processing facility capabilities. Crops are stockpiled for longer periods of time increasing the probability of moisture exposure. Wet almonds can be mechanically dried prior to processing; however, it is unclear how this practice influences lipid oxidation, shelf-life and consumer […]

Non-Targeted Detection of Adulterants in Almond Powder Using Spectroscopic Techniques Combined with Chemometrics.

Methods that combine targeted techniques and chemometrics for analyzing food authenticity can only facilitate the detection of predefined or known adulterants, while unknown adulterants cannot be detected using such methods. Therefore, the non-targeted detection of adulterants in food products is currently in great demand. In this study, FT-IR and FT-NIR spectroscopic techniques were used in […]

Redomesticating almond to meet emerging food safety needs.

Almond is a desirable and high-quality food source where the presence of nut allergens and a vulnerability to aflatoxin and Salmonella contamination represent threats to consumer safety. In 2019, over 1 billion kg. of almonds, representing over 80% of the world total, were produced in California from a relatively few varieties with a very narrow […]

Study protocol for a 9-month randomised controlled trial assessing the effects of almonds versus carbohydrate-rich snack foods on weight loss and weight maintenance.

Introduction: Epidemiological studies indicate an inverse association between nut consumption and body mass index (BMI). However, clinical trials evaluating the effects of nut consumption compared with a nut-free diet on adiposity have reported mixed findings with some studies reporting greater weight loss and others reporting no weight change. This paper describes the rationale and detailed protocol […]

Snacking on Whole Almonds for Six Weeks Increases Heart Rate Variability during Mental Stress in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Cardiac autonomic regulation can be indirectly measured by heart rate variability (HRV). Low HRV, which can be induced by mental stress, is a predictor of risk of sudden cardiac death. Few studies have investigated cause-and-effect relationships between diet and HRV. Nut consumption is associated with CVD risk reduction, but the impact on HRV, particularly in […]

Almond byproduct composition impacts the rearing of black soldier fly larvae and quality of the spent substrate as a soil amendment.

Background: Insect biomass is a sustainable alternative to traditional animal feeds, particularly when insects are produced on low-value high-volume agricultural by-products. Seven samples of almond by-product (hulls and shells) were obtained from processors in California and investigated for larvae production. Experiments were completed with and without larvae and spent substrate samples were assessed for their potential […]

Removal of hydrogen sulfide from biogas using activated carbon synthesized from different locally available biomass wastes-a case study from Palestine.

The main aim of this study was to remove hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from biogas by adsorption using synthesized activated carbon prepared using locally available biomass. The effect of the type of precursors, impregnation reagent and bed height was studied in continuous reactors. Three types of biomass wastes (almond shells, eucalyptus and coffee grains) were collected, […]