QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF CHESTNUT FRUITS

Quality analyses were carried out on five native chestnut varieties and the results were compared with a commercial variety in order to select suitable chestnut varieties for plantation in Southern Switzerland.
The fruit size of the native varieties was significantly smaller than that of the imported “Marrone di Cuneo”. Chestnuts of Southern Switzerland contained less sucrose and total fatty acids, but had a higher content of protein.
Chestnuts of all varieties contained practically the same amount of starch.
The ratio of essential fatty acids (linoleic- and linolenic acid) to total fatty acids was around 0.63 for all analysed samples.
Cooking led to severe leaching of potassium and magnesium, but not of calcium.
Quality tested by sensory evaluation of cooked chestnuts (Vermicelles) showed that the Italian commercial variety “Marrone di Cuneo” and the native variety “Pinca” reached a significantly better score.
Even if the results are preliminary, “Marrone di Cuneo” seems to be a superior variety for new plantations in environmentally adapted conditions (up to 700 m altitude).

II International Symposium on Chestnut

U. Künsch, H. Schärer, B. Patrian, J. Hurter, M. Conedera, A. Sassella, M. Jermini, G. Jelmini

Chestnut, Varieties, Composition of Fruit, Sensory Evaluation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1999.494.17