CONDITIONING PECANS WITH STEAM TO IMPROVE SHELLING EFFICIENCY AND STORAGE STABILITY

Abstract
Inshell pecans (Curya illinoensis, cvs. Stuart and Schley) were conditioned for cracking and shelling by a 3‐min atmospheric‐steam process and by two processes used commercially. Conditioned and untreated pecans were evaluated for shelling efficiency and for storage stability of the meats. Shelling efficiency was based on percent halves obtained; and storage stability, on changes in peroxide and free fatty acid values, sensory evaluations, and Hunter a/b values during accelerated storage of the halves at 21°C‐65% RH. Steam‐treated pecans yielded 12‐17 percentage points more halves than pecans conditioned by the other processes, and 19 percentage points more halves than the untreated nuts. Halves from steam‐treated nuts were less susceptible to oxidative and hydrolytic deterioration during storage.

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit: