Sustainability Update: August 2023
EU: European Parliament Committees Vote on Proposed Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste Last week, three European Parliament Committees voted on their positions for the proposed Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) committee rejected amendments proposed by rapporteur Virginie Joron and supported compromises drawn up by several groups. […]
July 2023 News Brief
INC Academia: Take the Next Step in Your Professional Development Plus, get 2×1 if you enroll now! If you want to take the next step in your professional development and master the world of nuts and dried fruits, look no further than the INC Academia, the best education for the sector. This year’s edition is […]
South African and Australian 2023 Macadamia Crop Forecasts Revised
Almonds Global Statistical Review
USA: On July 12, the USDA NASS released its 2023 California almond objective forecast at 2.6 billion pounds (1.18 million metric tons), up 4% from May’s subjective forecast and 1% above last season’s crop. If reflecting a 2% loss and exempt, the 2023/24 crop is forecasted at 2.55 B lbs. (1.16 M MT). As discussed […]
Walnuts Global Statistical Review
China: The preliminary Chinese crop is forecasted to remain at last season’s level. Some late frost damage was reported in the northwestern part of the producing region, but the actual extent of the impact was yet to been determined. The objective estimate is expected to be released by next August. Over the last ten years, […]
Assessing the Impact of Roasting Temperatures on Biochemical and Sensory Quality of Macadamia Nuts (Macadamia integrifolia)
Depending on the temperature regime used during roasting, the biochemical and sensory characteristics of macadamia nuts can change. ‘A4’ and ‘Beaumont’ were used as model cultivars to examine how roasting temperatures affected the chemical and sensory quality of macadamia nuts. Using a hot air oven dryer, macadamia kernels were roasted at 50, 75, 100, 125, […]
The influence of almond’s water activity and storage temperature on Salmonella survival and thermal resistance
This study investigated the effects of inoculation method, water activity (aw), packaging method, and storage temperature and duration on the survival of Salmonella on almonds as well as their resistance to subsequent thermal treatments. Whole almond kernels were inoculated with a broth-based or agar-based growth Salmonella cocktail and conditioned to aw of 0.52, 0.43 or 0.27. […]
Performance of the SAFER model in estimating peanut maturation
The most widespread method for obtaining Peanut Maturity Index (PMI), the Hull-Scrape, is time-consuming and highly subjective, which makes its application on a large scale difficult and does not represent the variability of the production area. Seeking more accurate PMI estimates, this research uses a combination of weather and spectral data. Therefore, this study aimed […]
Mild heat treatment achieved better inactivation of Salmonella and preservation of almond quality than ultraviolet light and chemical sanitizers
This study was conducted to compare the effects of ultraviolet light (UV), chemical sanitizers, and heat treatments on Salmonella inactivation and preservation of almond quality. Whole, skinless, and sliced almonds, representing different shape and surface topography, were inoculated with a Salmonella cocktail consisting of S. Montevideo, S. Newport, S. Typhimurium, S. Heidelberg, and S. Enteritidis. […]
Multigene Phylogeny and Pathogenicity Trials Revealed Alternaria alternata as the Causal Agent of Black Spot Disease and Seedling Wilt of Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) in South Africa
The pecan (Carya illinoinensis) industry in South Africa is growing rapidly, and it is becoming increasingly crucial to understand the risks posed to pecans by fungal pathogens. Black spots on leaves, shoots, and nuts in shucks caused by Alternaria species have been observed since 2014 in the Hartswater region of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. […]