Effect of using microperforated bags on the storage of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill) for six months Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • Chestnuts are very consumed worldwide; however, it is a perishable product that loses weight and spoils quickly. So, it is crucial to find methods to reduce economic losses. Thus, the purpose of the present work was to study the effect of using microperforated bags (MP-bags) in long-storage of chestnuts in refrigerated industrial chambers for 1, 2, 3 and 6 months. The weight loss, colour, texture, water activity (aw), moisture content, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), reducing sugars, starch, amylose, and microbiological analysis were determined. No significant differences were noted in the colour of the chestnut kernel between the MP-bags and the control (unpackaged chestnuts) in most situations. After six months, the weight loss was much lower in MP-bags (1.9%) than in control (23%), and a significant difference in moisture content was observed between both conditions (55.2 and 42.7%, respectively). After six months, TA and TSS varied between packages, while the starch did not. The packaging type and storage time significantly influenced the reducing sugars. The highest values were observed in control. Some variability, without a definite trend in the MP-bags, was observed along the storage period. In control, the contents of reducing sugars increased from 0.09 to 2.06 g glucose/100 g d.m.. No significant differences in aerobic mesophilic and moulds and yeasts were observed for the control and MP-bags at the end of storage. MP-bags demonstrated to be a promising solution for extending the shelf-life of chestnuts by preserving the nutritional quality of the fruits.

publication date

  • January 1, 2021