Articles
Evaluation of storage potential of fresh pistachios under different forms of exposure to storage
Article number
1396_36
Pages
263 – 270
Language
English
Abstract
Fresh pistachio (Pistacia vera L. Aegina) fruits were harvested at 32% (w/w) kernel moisture and stored at 4°C and 90% RH in the form of whole fruit (in-hull pistachios) in open trays or endocarps (de-hulled nuts) in open trays (control) and trays sealed with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) films of polyethylene (PE) or polyamide/polyethylene (PA/PE) materials.
Weight loss, composition of package atmosphere, kernel moisture, colour, texture and respiratory attributes were measured after 0, 1 and 2 months (mo) of storage.
The in-hull pistachios had the highest (34% in average) and PA/PE (0.3% in average) the lowest WL during storage.
The WL was 16 and 6%, in average for controls and PE, respectively.
These WLs resulted in loss of fresh character for controls (12.6% kernel moisture in average) from the 1st mo and for in-hull pistachios at the 2nd mo (21 and 14% kernel moisture at 1 and 2 mo, respectively), whereas MAP packaged nuts retained a kernel moisture >25% during the whole storage period.
The package atmosphere was 17.8% O2 – 3.7% CO2 in PE and 1.8% O2 – 23.0% CO2 in PA/PE. MAP (both PE and PA/PE) limited the sharp decrease in all kernel respiratory attributes that were observed in stored in-hull and control pistachios.
The in-hull pistachios had the most intense red kernel colour (the highest a* and b*) during storage, and the browning (decrease in L*) of the green part of kernels was limited by in-hull and PA/PE storage.
The texture of kernels had slight changes during storage and differences among samples were observed only at 1 mo where PE showed the highest values.
Conclusively, an extension of storage potential for fresh pistachios can be achieved by in-hull storage for 1 mo and by nut storage under MAP for 2 mo.
Weight loss, composition of package atmosphere, kernel moisture, colour, texture and respiratory attributes were measured after 0, 1 and 2 months (mo) of storage.
The in-hull pistachios had the highest (34% in average) and PA/PE (0.3% in average) the lowest WL during storage.
The WL was 16 and 6%, in average for controls and PE, respectively.
These WLs resulted in loss of fresh character for controls (12.6% kernel moisture in average) from the 1st mo and for in-hull pistachios at the 2nd mo (21 and 14% kernel moisture at 1 and 2 mo, respectively), whereas MAP packaged nuts retained a kernel moisture >25% during the whole storage period.
The package atmosphere was 17.8% O2 – 3.7% CO2 in PE and 1.8% O2 – 23.0% CO2 in PA/PE. MAP (both PE and PA/PE) limited the sharp decrease in all kernel respiratory attributes that were observed in stored in-hull and control pistachios.
The in-hull pistachios had the most intense red kernel colour (the highest a* and b*) during storage, and the browning (decrease in L*) of the green part of kernels was limited by in-hull and PA/PE storage.
The texture of kernels had slight changes during storage and differences among samples were observed only at 1 mo where PE showed the highest values.
Conclusively, an extension of storage potential for fresh pistachios can be achieved by in-hull storage for 1 mo and by nut storage under MAP for 2 mo.
Authors
M.V. Christopoulos, M. Kafkaletou, E. Tsantili
Keywords
fresh nut, MAP, colour, texture, respiration, Pistacia vera
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