The effects of different dry roast parameters on peanut quality using an industrial belt-type roaster simulator.
Peanuts roasted to equivalent surface colors at different temperature/time combinations can vary substantially in chemical and physical properties related to product quality. This study used a pilot plant scale roaster that simulates the configurations of one of the most common industrial roaster, a multi-zone belt roaster. Jumbo-size runner-type peanuts were systematically roasted at 5 temperatures […]
Composition and properties of virgin pistachio oils and their by-products from different cultivars.
Pistachios (Pistacia vera) exhibit an interesting nutritional value, due to the high content of oleic acid and minor components with antioxidant and bioactive properties. This work aimed to characterize pistachio virgin oils and their partially defatted residual cakes, obtained from eight cultivars (Aegina, Avdat, Kastel, Kerman, Larnaka, Mateur, Napoletana, and Sirora). Interesting results on phenolics, […]
LC-MS profiling highlights hazelnut (Nocciola di Giffoni PGI) shells as a byproduct rich in antioxidant phenolics.
The Italian "Nocciola di Giffoni", also known as "Tonda di Giffoni", a labelled Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) product, represents an important economic resource for the Italian market. The methanol (MeOH) extract of "Tonda di Giffoni" shells has been investigated for the phenolic content, assayed by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and for the antioxidant activity by the […]
Effect of Drying Moisture Exposed Almonds on the Development of the Quality Defect Concealed Damage.
Concealed damage (CD), is a term used by the nut industry to describe a brown discoloration of kernel nutmeat that becomes visible after moderate heat treatments (e.g., roasting). CD can result in consumer rejection and product loss. Postharvest exposure of almonds to moisture (e.g., rain) is a key factor in the development of CD as […]
The effects of ‘activating’ almonds on consumer acceptance and gastrointestinal tolerance.
PURPOSE: Recommendations to soak nuts prior to consumption to reduce phytate concentrations and improve gastrointestinal tolerance have received much attention in the popular press. This is despite no supporting scientific evidence for the practice. There is also a lack of information about how soaking nuts might affect consumer acceptability. This study primarily assessed the effects […]
Influence of genotype and crop year in the chemometrics of almond and pistachio oils.
BACKGROUND: Almond and pistachio oils can be considered as interesting products to produce and commercialize due to their health promoting properties. However, these properties are not consistent because of the differences that appear in oils as a result of the genotype and the crop year. The analysis of these variations and their origin is decisive […]
Natural variation of selenium in Brazil nuts and soils from the Amazon region.
Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) is native of the Amazon rainforest. Brazil nuts are consumed worldwide and are known as the richest food source of selenium (Se). Yet, the reasoning for such Se contents is not well stablished. We evaluated the variation in Se concentration of Brazil nuts from Brazilian Amazon basin, as well as […]
Genetic and geochemical signatures to prevent frauds and counterfeit of high-quality asparagus and pistachio.
A fingerprinting strategy based on genetic (simple sequence repeat) and geochemical (multielement and 87Sr/86Sr ratio) analysis was tested to prove the geographical origin of high-quality Italian products "White Asparagus from Bassano del Grappa" and "Green Pistachio from Bronte". Genetic analysis generated many polymorphic alleles and different specific amplified fragments in both agriproducts. In addition, a […]
Application of Power Ultrasound on the Convective Drying of Fruits and Vegetables: Effects on quality.
Drying allows the obtaining of products with a long shelf life by reducing the water activity to a level low enough for the growth of microorganisms, enzymatic reactions, and other deteriorative reactions to be inhibited. Despite the benefits of this operation, the quality of heat sensitive products is diminished when high temperatures are used. The […]
Evaluation of Extraction Methods for the Identification of Proteins from Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Seed and Flesh.
Date fruits are well known to be very nutritious. Nevertheless, the protein content of the fruit, particularly the seed and flesh is still understudied, largely due to their difficult physical characteristics. This study was conducted to compare three different protein extraction methods which were the TCA-acetone (TCA-A), phenol (Phe), and TCA-acetone-phenol (TCA-A-Phe), and to perform […]