Almond Types Research Articles

Effect of storage conditions on physico-chemical characteristics and antioxidants activity of sweet and bitter almond nuts and seeds of aknoul

This study investigates almond oil parameters such as yield, fatty acids, peroxide value, and antioxidant activity over a 12-month storage period. Despite stable oil yields due to almond shells' protective properties, there are increases in free fatty acids and peroxide values, indicating oxidation. Iodine values mostly align with norms, but some exceed limits. Chlorophyll decreases while carotenoids increase during storage, possibly due to chlorophyll degradation. Oleic acid remains predominant in fatty acid composition, distinguishing sweet and bitter almonds. Alpha-tocopherol prevails, with storage affecting gamma and beta tocopherol. Polyphenol content decreases over time, differing between almond types. DPPH and ABTS tests reflect antioxidant activity changes similarly. Bitter almonds yield higher extraction yields and phenolic compounds. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) elucidates variable relationships. Almond oil samples are classified into three groups based on quality and antioxidant properties. CHAID analysis emphasizes DPPH's importance in distinguishing samples and its correlation with Total Phenolic Compounds (TPC), enhancing comprehension of almond oil's chemical composition and antioxidant properties.

Remediation of malachite-green dye from textile wastewater using biosorbent almond shell-based cellulose

The presence of malachite green (MG) in surface waters represents a major health hazard for aquatic organisms and communities living near contaminated water sources. In this study, almond shell adsorbents prepared from the four almond types Marcona (M), Fournat de Brézenaud (FZ), Ferraduel (FD) and Ferriages (FG), used to clean wastewater from the textile industry that had been contaminated with the color MG. Optimal adsorption parameters were determined through batch experiments using a standard dye solution. Further, SEM, XRD, BET, and FTIR were employed for characterizing the biosorbents. The examination of the experimental data using isotherms and kinetic models revealed that the adsorption of the MG occurs in a monolayer, with chemical adsorption as the rate-controlling step. The maximum adsorption capacities, under pH around 7 and temperature of 35 °C were 41.0, 61.0, 48.1, and 118.0 mg/g for M, FD, FG, and FZ, respectively. In addition, Monte-Carlo simulation models, and density functional theory calculations were performed to provide a more detailed understanding of the adsorption mechanism. Topological studies such as NCI, RDG, LOL, and ELF were conducted and discussed using Multiwave function (Multiwfn) and VMD programs in liquid phase. In conclusion, chemisorption limits the rate of the adsorption process, and that green cation malachite is more susceptible to nucleophilic than electrophilic attacking. Based on these experimental and theoretical results, it is possible to consider these materials as an inexpensive and viable solution to eliminate MG from wastewater. Adsorption on cellulose can be considered as a feasible strategy for wastewater treatment, and the adsorbents can be optimized for use in real wastewater samples at even lower concentrations. This approach offers an inexpensive and effective technological alternative to conventional methods for the retention of MG.

Comparative Analysis of Antioxidant and Nutrient Characteristics of Different Almond Types

Comparative Analysis of Antioxidant and Nutrient Characteristics of Different Almond Types

Frequency dependence of dielectric properties of varieties of almonds at microwave frequencies

Using the two point method and a MATLAB programme, the values of the dielectric properties of five different types of almonds —American, Mamra giri, Salora, Satarbai, and Kagzi were determined at room temperature for grain size of 250–300 µm at three different frequencies (4.70 GHz, 7.15 GHz, and 9.76 GHz) in the microwave region. With increasing frequency, it is discovered that the loss factor and dielectric constant both drop. These dielectric properties support the growth of microwave applications in the food processing sector.

Study on morphological parameters of the sweet almond nut (Amygdalus communis l.)

This article delves into the morphological features of various sweet almond (Amygdalus communis L.) varieties and forms, with the aim of analyzing their characteristics and applying the findings to obtain new types of almonds. Thirteen different sweet almond varieties were studied, including their total weight, kernel mass, number of seeds, and seed ratio. The results showed that one genotype (Qamashi-3) had medium to large nuts, while the other twelve genotypes had small nuts. All genotypes had easily peeled shells. Of the selected varieties, 15.38% were very large, 46.15% were medium to large, and 38.46% were small-fruited. The length, width, and thickness of the nut varied from 22.0 mm to 39.2 mm, 14.0 mm to 23.0 mm, and 11.0 mm to 16.5 mm, respectively. The thickness of the seed coat ranged from 1.5 mm to 3.1 mm. The number of nuts per 1 kg differed across varieties, ranging from 139 to 1076 pieces. Two genotypes had very hard shells (Tosh almond, Qamashi-3), four had hard shells, three had medium-hard shells, and six had soft shells. Most of the genotypes had sweet grains (12 genotypes), while one had a bittersweet taste. Overall, the studied sweet almond genotypes are important for expanding the genetic base in Uzbekistan through hybridization with each other or with standard varieties.

Test Comparison and Performance Analysis of Two Kinds of Almonds Shell Kernel Sorting Equipment

In the process of almonds kernel, the separation of shell and kernel is an important part of the processing procedure. Using mechanized shell and kernel separation method to replace traditional manual sorting is the main way to improve production efficiency, reduce labour intensity, and save costs. Draw lessons from the existing nut machinery shell and kernel separation method, shell and kernel separation principle and working characteristics, analyse the separation efficiency of the two types of almonds separating machines, and put forward corresponding suggestions for the future development of almonds shell and kernel separation machinery for the follow-up research and development of Badam kernel and nut separation device and key technology provide technical reference.

The effects of harvest time and drying methods on aflatoxin production of some almond types grown in Turkey

The effects of harvest time and drying methods on aflatoxin production of some almond types grown in Turkey

Quantification of Sterol Contents in Almond (PrunusamygdalusL.) Oils

In this study, the sterol contents of almond kernel oils collected from naturally growing almond trees in Mersin province were determined. Generally, the sterol contents of almond oil samples varied depending on almond types. The major sterols in almond oils weres-sitosterol, 5-avenasterol and campesterol, followed by 5,24-stigmastadienol, stigmasterol, sitostanol, and cholesterol. While β-sitosterol contents of almond oils varied between 1986 mg/kg (T26) and 3908 mg/kg (T16), 5-avenasterol contents of almond oils samples were in the range between 215.9 mg/kg (T31) and 581.7 mg/kg (T16). In addition, campesterol contents of oils were found from 75.8 mg/kg (T31) to 172.3 mg/kg (T16). Interestingly, all sterol contents (except cholesterol, brassicasterol and 7-campesterol) of T16 almond oil were found higher than those of the other almond types. The current study showed that almond kernels of the investigated almond types from Turkey are potential sources of valuable oil which might be used as edible oil or industrial applications.

Sensory Profile and Acceptability of HydroSOStainable Almonds.

Fresh water availability is considered highly risky because it is a finite resource, and a deficiency in water leads to numerous economic and environmental issues. Agriculture is one of the main consumers of fresh water in practices such as irrigation and fertilization. In this context, the main objectives of this study were (i) to determine the descriptive sensory profiles of four almond types grown using different irrigation strategies and (ii) to study their acceptance in a cross-cultural study (Romania and Spain). Consumers’ willingness to pay for hydroSOS almonds was also evaluated. The four irrigation strategies evaluated were a control sample, two samples grown under regulated deficit irrigation strategies (RDI), and a sample grown under a sustained deficit irrigation strategy (SDI). The main conclusion was that neither descriptive nor affective sensory results showed significant differences among treatments. These findings should encourage farmers to reduce their water usage by demonstrating that sensory quality was not significantly affected by any of the studied treatments, compared to the control. Regarding willingness to pay, both Spanish and Romanian consumers were willing to pay a higher price for the hydroSOS almonds.

Design of Neural Network Predictor for the Physical Properties of Almond Nuts

In this study, an adaptive neuro fuzzy interface system (ANFIS) based predictor was designed to predict the physical properties of four almond types. Measurements of the dimensions, length, width and thickness were carried out for one hundred randomly selected samples of each type. With using these three major perpendicular dimensions, some physical parameters such as projected area, arithmetic mean diameter, geometric mean diameter, sphericity, surface area, volume, shape index and aspect ratio were estimated. In in a various Artificial Neural Network (ANN) structures, ANFIS structure which has given the best results was selected. The parameters analytically estimated and those predicted were given in the form of figures. The root mean-squared error (RMSE) was found to be 0.0001 which is quite low. ANFIS approach has given a superior outcome in the prediction of the Physical Properties of Almond Nuts.

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF WILD AMYGDALUS SPP. AND THEIR DIFFERENT TYPES GROWN NATURALLY IN ADIYAMAN REGION, TURKEY

This study aimed to assess the variability of wild almonds growing in Adiyaman region, at South East Anatolia region, Turkey. A total of 400 wild almond types were observed. Forty trees belonging to Amygdalus turcomonica Lincz., Amygdalus arabica Oliv., Amygdalus orientalis Mill., and assumed to represent different tree types within the three species, were considered in this study. Pomological characterization for fruit sizes and weight, kernel weight and shelling percentage were determined for the selected trees. Our results showed the existence of various morphotypes within each species that should be further evaluated for their potential as rootstocks for almond cultivars in Turkey.

Impact of almond form and moisture content on texture attributes and acceptability.

The objectives of this study were to measure sensory texture attributes of 5 types of almonds (blanched slivered, natural sliced, whole blanched, whole dry roasted, and natural whole) conditioned at 4 different moisture levels, to measure liking of a subset of these products, and to compare the sensory texture measurements with consumer liking ratings. Thirteen panelists trained to evaluate almond texture rated the texture attributes of the 20 almond samples. A panel of 113 almond consumers rated their liking of a subset of 8 of these almonds. Compared with the whole almonds, sliced and slivered almonds had less hardness, less crunchiness, less cohesiveness, less tooth packing, and required fewer chews and swallows to consume. Compared with slivered almonds, sliced almonds were more powdery, had more surface roughness, more loose particles, and were crisper. Compared with slivered almonds, sliced almonds were less hard, broke into fewer pieces, had less moistness and cohesiveness of mass, less fatty film, and required fewer chews and fewer swallows to consume. Dry roasted almonds were generally harder, more crisp, more crunchy, and produced more loose particles than natural almonds, which were, in turn, more hard, crisp, and crunchy than blanched almonds. As moisture content increased, moistness of mass and cohesiveness of mass increased. Crispness, number of pieces, hardness, crunchiness, persistence of crunch, and particulate mass decreased with increasing moisture content. Consumer texture liking ratings were highly positively correlated with the attributes crispness, crunchiness, and persistence of crunch. In addition to roasting and blanching, water content of almonds is important for key texture properties. Almond producers can use this information to provide customers with almonds having texture properties important to consumers.

Fast and robust discrimination of almonds (Prunus amygdalus) with respect to their bitterness by using near infrared and partial least squares-discriminant analysis

In this study, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) coupled to chemometrics is used to develop a fast, simple, non-destructive and robust method for discriminating sweet and bitter almonds (Prunus amygdalus) by the in situ measurement of the kernel surface without any sample pre-treatment.Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models were built to discriminate both types of almonds, obtaining high levels of sensitivity and specificity for both classes, with more than 95% of the samples correctly classified and discriminated. Moreover, the almonds were also analysed by Raman spectroscopy, the reference technique for this type of analysis, to validate and confirm the results obtained by NIR.

Almond quality as influenced by radio frequency heat treatments for disinfestation

Increased regulation of chemical fumigants has forced the almond industry to seek alternatives for postharvest control of insect pests in raw almonds. This paper reports developments of non-chemical treatment for postharvest disinfestation of almonds using radio frequency (RF) energy. A pilot-scale 27 MHz RF unit was used to evaluate effects of a RF treatment protocol on quality attributes in treated in-shell and shelled almond samples. The RF treatment protocol used 0.75 kW RF power, a forced hot air at 63 °C, back and forth movements on the conveyor at 0.56 m/min, and single mixing, which all improved the final heating uniformity. RF treatments sharply reduced the heating time from 86 and 137 min for hot air heating to only 6.4 and 8.8 min for the center of 1.5 kg in-shell and 2.4 kg shelled almond samples to reach 63 °C, respectively. Almond quality was not affected by the RF treatments because peroxide values, fatty acid and kernel color of treated almonds were better than or similar to untreated controls after 20 d at 35 °C, simulating 2 years of storage at 4 °C. RF treatments did not significantly affect the kernel moisture content of both types of almonds but reduced the moisture content in the shell. RF treatments may hold great potential to replace chemical fumigation for disinfesting almonds.

Feasibility of dibromochloropropane (DBCP) and trichloroethylene (TCE) adsorption onto activated carbons made from nut shells of different almond varieties

Steam-activated carbons were made from shells from five different almond varieties (‘Nonpareil,’ ‘Padre,’ Tuono,’ ‘23-122,’ and ‘Y120-74′) and from a mix of almond types. The purpose of the work was to evaluate if the composition of shells had any effect on the performance of the final product. The shells contained the same level of cellulose, but differed in their lignin and hemicellulose composition. The yield of carbon from the shells ranged from 20% to 23.5%, indicating a loss of about 80% of initial mass. Regardless of the composition, the performance of the activated carbons made from the shells was very similar in a feasibility study. The carbons were found to have a capacity of 100–105 mg/g of carbon for the two contaminants tested (dibromochloropropane and trichloroethylene). The finding that the activated carbons performed equally well, regardless of source of almond shells, suggest that that carbons could be made from almonds shells with consistent quality.

Inactivation of Escherichia coli on Almonds Using Nonthermal Plasma

This study was carried out to investigate the applicability of nonthermal plasma (NTP) technology for the pasteurization of almonds. Almonds were spiked with various levels of Escherichia coli by dipping the almonds in E. coli culture broth followed by drying. The spiked almonds were treated with NTP under different treatment conditions. The pattern of the microorganisms reduction by NTP was analyzed. NTP was found to be effective on reduction of E. coli on almond evidenced by almost 5-log reduction after 30-sec treatment at 30 kV and 2000 Hz. The NTP bactericidal effect on E. coli inoculated on almond increased with the applied voltage and the frequency. The NTP reduction followed the 1st-order reaction kinetics, and the reduction rate constants varied with almond types and grades. The E. coli cells at logarithmic phase were more sensitive to the NTP than those at stationary and declining phases.

Comparing physical measures and mechanical cracking products of ‘Nonpareil’ almond ( Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A. Webb.) with two advanced breeding selections

Kernels of ‘Nonpareil’ almond and advanced breeding selections 23.5–16 and 23–122 were evaluated for similarities and differences in commercially important kernel characteristics. These three almond types did not differ in kernel mass, kernel length and width, nor in kernel color coordinates, luminosity and hue. ‘Nonpareil’ kernels were observed to be significantly ( p ⩽ 0.05) thicker than kernels of 23.5–16 and 23–122. Chroma value of ‘Nonpareil’ kernels was significantly higher ( p ⩽ 0.05) than that of 23–122, but did not differ from that of 23.5–16. Bulk in-shell samples of the three almond types were then compared after a mechanical cracking treatment using identical roller settings in a research-sized commercial cracking machine. Sticktight content varied significantly ( p ⩽ 0.01) amongst the three almond types prior to cracking bulked samples. The cracking treatment significantly reduced ( p ⩽ 0.01) sticktight content in each of the almond samples and a significant interaction ( p ⩽ 0.01) was observed between almond types and cracking treatment with regard to sticktight content. ‘Nonpareil’ and 23.5–16 did not differ in sticktight content either prior to or after the cracking treatment. The three almond types varied significantly ( p ⩽ 0.05) in the various categories of edible kernels (whole, double, scratched, broken & chipped) after the cracking treatment.