DETERMINATION OF DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONS AND QUALITY CHANGES DURING STORAGE OF PISTACHIO VARIETIES OF UZUN AND SIIRT (Pistacia vera L.)
DETERMINATION OF DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONS AND QUALITY CHANGES DURING STORAGE OF PISTACHIO VARIETIES OF UZUN AND SIIRT
(Pistacia vera L.)
(1993 – 1995)
Riza KARACAUz.Mehmet KOROGLU
Objective
Pistachios were stored in traditional uncontrolled conditions in our country, therefore quality lost occurred in high level. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in quality and fatty acids of red shell pistachios and peeled pistachios during storage in which were uncontrolled and the other two different cold storage.
Materials and Methods
Uzun and Siirt pistachios which were dried red shell and hard (peeled) shell pistachios were stored in cold storage of Pistachio Research Institute and in the traditional uncontrolled storage. The moisture content of dried pistachios was 6% before storage. In uncontrolled storage conditions, the changes in temperatures and humidity depend on climate conditions in the environment were ranged from 2 to 34oC and from 28 to 70%, respectively. Treatment 1 included increased temperatures adjusted 4oC in winter, 10oC in spring and 15oC in summer and the humidity kept under 65%.
Fat, protein, moisture, water activity, aflatoxin, peroxide, free fatty acids, and compositions of fatty acids in the samples were analysed.
Results
Dried red shell and peeled hard shell pistachios could be stored without any spoilage under uncontrolled conditions for a year, however longer storage periods caused negative changes in the quality depend on fat content. For this reasons, the most suitable storage conditions of pistachios for longer storage periods were determined as temperatures between 4-10oC and 65% humidity in the cold air storage.
