Abstract
Abstract “Grada de Viseu” is an indigenous hazelnut variety from Portugal, and it is considered by the producers as the most important variety in terms of production and productivity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the influence of harvest year (2017/2018/2019) and location of production (Viseu/Faia) on some physical and chemical properties of the variety “Grada de Viseu,” namely biometric parameters, colour, true and bulk densities, texture parameters (hardness and friability), and chemical composition. The results showed that the fruits of the samples harvested in 2019 had higher values of height, width, and thickness. Hazelnuts from 2018 had a clearer shell, independently of the location of production, but only the samples from Faia harvested in 2018 had a clearer kernel. As for the texture, the fruits grown in Viseu harvested in 2018 had a harder shell and was more resistant to fracture, whereas the sample from 2019 had a harder kernel. In all cases, fat was the major chemical component. The sample from 2019 had a water activity greater than 0.62, meaning that its stability was not guaranteed. “Grada de Viseu” from Faia in 2018 presented a higher induction period and, therefore, was the one with the highest oxidation stability. The year of production showed to be the best predictor for almost every chemical and biometric characteristics. In general, it was possible to verify that harvesting year and geographical location influence hazelnut characteristics.
Highlights
European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) belongs to the Betulaceae family, and it is characterised for having a low tolerance to heat, humidity, and wind stress
The data collected were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and in order to identify which means are significantly different from the others, the post hoc test Tukey honestly significant difference was used
This study provided results that allowed to compare the differences between the hazelnut variety “Grada de Viseu” according to the year of harvest and place of cultivation
Summary
European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) belongs to the Betulaceae family, and it is characterised for having a low tolerance to heat, humidity, and wind stress. Hazelnut cultivation occupies more than 660,000 ha, with Turkey being the most significant producer [3]. Hazelnut is an important crop in Portugal, mainly in the north of the country, due to the more favourable edaphoclimatic conditions [4]. In Portugal, in 2018, hazelnut production was equal to 240 tons [5], being this dried fruit the one with the lowest area of production. The country has good environmental conditions for its production [6]. The worldwide demand for hazelnuts has been increasing due to their health benefits and to their increasing usage by, for example, chocolate and pharmaceutical companies [7]. Hazelnuts can be consumed in nature, as a nut, or as an ingredient in many types of foods and deserts [8]
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