Chestnut Fruits Research Articles

Variations on the chemical compositions of chestnut fruits collected at different locations

Chestnut is an essential food source in many countries. Nutritional quality and potential health benefits of Anatolian chestnut trees (Castanea sativa Mill.) have led to increased concern and interest in chestnut production. However, knowledge of the factors that influence the chemical content of chestnut fruits still needs to be improved. Thus, the chemical compositions were evaluated for Anatolian chestnut fruits collected at 14 different locations in northern Türkiye, which is one of the biggest chestnut producers in the world. The effects of latitude, longitude, altitude, aspect, mean annual temperature (°C) (TMA), and mean annual precipitation (mm) (PMA) of the study locations on the chemical compositions of chestnut fruits were monitored. The effects of these parameters on several chestnut characteristics were examined using a mixed-effects multiple regression model. Latitude, longitude, TMA, and PMA were correlated with the mean concentrations of sucrose, free amino acid, glycine betaine, nitrogen (N) (%), and total carbon (C) (%) of the chestnut samples. The moisture content of the fruits was affected by longitude. The antioxidant and mineral content of the chestnut samples also varied by location. These findings may be helpful in site selection, production, and conservation of chestnut cultivars.

Enhanced edible films with Ferulic acid nanoemulsion: Fabrication, characterization, and preservation effects on fresh-cut Chinese water chestnuts

The cavitation produced by ultrasonication can generate strong shear forces and shock waves in the liquid medium, forming nanometer-sized droplets. In this study, ferulic acid (FA) nanoemulsions were prepared using ultrasonication for different durations. The FA nanoemulsion sonicated for 2.5 min exhibited the smallest droplet size (34.44 ± 3.38 nm) and the highest system stability. The compatibility of FA nanoemulsion with gelatin/starch edible films was further analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the film containing the FA nanoemulsion sonicated for 2.5 min (G/S/FA2.5) demonstrated better film-forming ability, mechanical properties, and barrier performance. Moreover, due to its smallest droplet size and uniform distribution within the film matrix, the G/S/FA2.5 film also showed excellent antioxidant and antibacterial capabilities. Furthermore, the Rheological properties results of the film-forming solution indicate that G/S/FA2.5 possesses a better internal network structure and the most suitable viscosity value for application in food coatings. Finally, the film was applied to fresh-cut water chestnut stored at low temperatures (10 °C). The preservation experiment results showed that the FA nanoemulsion film can suppress up to 50.13% of the yellowing in fresh-cut Chinese water chestnuts by the 8 day of storage, effectively inhibiting the wrinkling on their surface. It significantly reduced the weight loss and spoilage of the water chestnut fruits, thereby extending their shelf life.

Therapeutic Potential of Water Chestnut Fruit Extract (Trapa bicornis) against Ovariectomy-Induced Climacteric Symptoms in Mice

Climacteric symptoms, as well as postmenopausal estrogen deficiency, have been associated with many psychological problems and the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate, for the first time, the dose-dependent effect of water chestnut (WC), also known as Trapa bicornis, a fruit extract, on ovariectomy (OVX)-induced menopause in ICR mice. After bilateral OVX surgery, 200, 100, and 50 mg/kg of WC and 200 mg/kg of pomegranate concentrate powder (PCP) were administered orally for 84 days from 4 weeks after OVX operation. Then, anti-climacteric activities were evaluated in five groups: (1) estrogenic, (2) anti-obesity, (3) hypolipidemic, (4) hepatoprotective, and (5) anti-osteoporosis effects. Different biochemical assays, histopathological and morphological inspections, and mRNA expression findings showed that OVX-induced estrogen deficiency-related AMPK decrease was associated with climacteric symptoms such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and osteoporosis in ICR mice. However, these climacteric effects were reversed in OVX rats by treating them with WC at a dose relative to the same dose of PCP in OVX-ICR mice (200 and 100 mg/kg). Water chestnut fruit extract demonstrated promise as a complementary treatment for menopausal symptoms, indicating possible uses in the health of women through supplements or prescription drugs.

Isolation of Antagonistic Endophytic Fungi from Postharvest Chestnuts and Their Biocontrol on Host Fungal Pathogens.

In this study, antagonistic endophytic fungi were isolated from postharvest chestnut fruits; endophytic antagonistic fungi and their combination of inhibitory effects on the fungal pathogen Neofusicoccum parvum were evaluated. A total of 612 endophytic fungi were isolated from 300 healthy chestnut kernels, and 6 strains out of them including NS-3, NS-11, NS-38, NS-43, NS-56, and NS-58 were confirmed as antagonistic endophytic fungi against Neofusicoccum parvum; these were separately identified as Penicillium chermesinum, Penicillium italicum, Penicillium decaturense, Penicillium oxalicum, Talarmyces siamensis, and Penicillium guanacastense. Some mixed antagonistic endophytic fungi, such as NS-3-38, NS-11-38, NS-43-56, and NS-56-58-38, exhibited a much stronger antifungal activity against N. parvum than that applied individually. Among them, the mixture of NS-3-38 showed the highest antifungal activity, and the inhibition rate was up to 86.67%. The fermentation broth of NS-3, NS-38, and their combinations exhibited an obvious antifungal activity against N. parvum, and the ethyl acetate phase extract of NS-3-38 had the strongest antifungal activity, for which the inhibitory rate was up to 90.19%. The NS-3-38 fermentation broth combined with a chitosan coating significantly reduced N. parvum incidence in chestnuts from 100% to 19%. Furthermore, the fruit decay and weight loss of chestnuts during storage were significantly decreased by the NS-3-38 fermentation broth mixture along with a chitosan coating. Therefore, a mixture of P. chermesinum and P. decaturense could be used as a potential complex biocontrol agent to control postharvest fruit decay in chestnuts.

Separation and partial purification of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase from serum of obese women with a study of the effect of oily and nano-extract of Castanea fruit in activating the enzyme

Background: The Chestnut plant is one of the important plants for treating many diseases. Therefore, the oil extract of the Chestnut plant was taken to know its effect on activating an enzyme of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase that decreases in obese patients, by isolating it from the blood and using nanotechnology methods.Methods: The research included the isolation lecithin: acyltransferase cholesterol (LCAT) from the blood of 5 obese women, whose BMI was between 25-30 kg/m2, ages ranged from 40-45 years, and they were healthy without any diseases. The oil extract of Chestnut fruit was isolated. Fatty acids present in the oil extract were identified using capillary gas chromatography technique CGC, as the extract contained a percentage of unsaturated fatty acids and a lower percentage of saturated fatty acids. The enzyme was precipitated with ammonium sulfate, dialysis technique, and the gel filtration chromatography technique was used in purification. Finally, effect of the oil extract of the Chestnut fruit was studied at a concentration of (0-100) mg/ml and the nanoparticles-oil extract also on the activity of the LCAT (0-20) mg/ml. The nanoparticles of silver nitrate were prepared at a concentration of 1 mM with the oil extract of the Chestnut fruit and heated at a temperature of 60°C.Result: The highest peak was obtained from the gel filtration chromatography, which was highly effective. The number of purification times reached 91.72, and the recovery rate was 283.33%, and the effectiveness was qualitative 457.69 U/mg. Oil nanoparticles extraction was confirmed when the solution was transformed by changing its colors from colorless, yellow, orange, and finally coffee in color. The results showed an increase in the activity of the LCAT when treated with the two extracts, also the increase in the activity had a higher effect on the activity of the enzyme.Conclusion: We concluded during the study that the extract of the fruit of the oily nanoparticles was more effective in increasing the activity of an enzyme lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase in healthy women with obesity. Keywords: Oil extract; Lecithin enzyme; Cholesterol acyltransferase; Chestnut

Fungal community and toxigenic taxa in chestnut fruits in postharvest conditioning process and storage.

Chestnut fruit quality is affected by fungal contamination. The study of the patterns of contamination in the postharvest is crucial to individuate the critical phases and propose solutions. To understand how fungal colonization varies on fruits, the composition of mycobiota was investigated in postharvest handling and in between tissues (shell and kernel). Fungal sequences were clustered into 308 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Biodiversity was higher in shell than kernel tissues. Results evidenced the risk of new contamination in specific phases such as the 'cold bath' and storage. Genera known as mycotoxin producers were detected in all phases. Specifically, 47 OTUs belonging to Penicillium, eight to Fusarium and two to Aspergillus genera were identified. While Fusarium spp. was sensitive to 'warm bath' phase, Penicillium spp. was largely insensitive and accumulated in storage conditions. Surprisingly, Aspergillus spp. was poorly represented. Aflatoxin, ochratoxin A, fumonisins and T-2/HT-2 detection was performed for shell and kernel, and process phases. Higher contamination was observed on shell than in kernel samples. While aflatoxins were within the European Union (EU) limits for dry fruits, Ochratoxin exceeded the EU limits. The present study represents the first report of fumonisins and T-2/HT-2 detection in chestnuts. Fungal contamination taxa is high in chestnut fruits following postharvest handling and storage. A parametrization of process phases such as the 'warm bath' is functional to reduce the risk for some taxa. For other spoilage and mycotoxigenic genera strict sanitation procedures of equipment and water must be individuated and implemented to reduce their impact. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Genetic Insights into the Historical Attribution of Variety Names of Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) in Northern Italy.

The sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is subject to the progressive disappearance of its traditional chestnut groves. In the northern part of Italy, where distribution of the sweet chestnut is fragmented, many local varieties continue to be identified mostly by oral tradition. We characterised by SSRs eleven historically recognised varieties of sweet chestnut in the area surrounding Lake Como, with the goal of giving a genetic basis to the traditional classification. We performed classical analysis about differentiation and used Bayesian approaches to detect population structure and to reconstruct demography. The results revealed that historical and genetic classifications are loosely linked when chestnut fruits are just "castagne", that is, normal fruits, but increasingly overlap where "marroni" (the most prized fruits) are concerned. Bayesian classification allowed us to identify a homogeneous gene cluster not recognised in the traditional assessment of the varieties and to reconstruct possible routes used for the propagation of sweet chestnut. We also reconstructed ancestral relationships between the different gene pools involved and dated ancestral lineages whose results fit with palynological data. We suggest that conservation strategies based on a genetic evaluation of the resource should also rely on traditional cultural heritage, which could reveal new sources of germplasm.

Comparative Analysis of Nutritional Properties, Phytochemical Profile, and Antioxidant Activities between Red and Green Water Chestnut (Trapa natans) Fruits.

The present study explored the nutritional composition, phytochemicals analysis, and antioxidant capacity of two indigenous varieties of red and green water chestnut (WCN) fruit grown in Pakistan. Accordingly, this study was designed to investigate the proximate composition (moisture, ash, fiber, proteins, fat, and energy), physicochemical properties (pH, °Brix, and glycemic index), minerals, and vitamins. The methanolic extracts of WCN fruits were explored for phytochemicals (total phenolic and flavonoid content), and antioxidant potential was examined in vitro by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Quantitative determination of mineral (sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc) and vitamin (vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin A, and β-Carotene) composition was also assessed. Based on the findings, the proximate compositions of WCN green and red varieties varied greatly as WCN green contained significantly higher protein (1.72%), fat (0.65%), dietary fiber (2.21%), moisture (70.23%), ash (1.16%), and energy content (112.8 Kcal) than WCN red. In WCN green, the macro-micromineral concentrations were significantly higher than WCN red. Among the minerals analyzed, potassium was the most abundant mineral found in both varieties. Levels of vitamin C, B6, A, and β-Carotene were significantly higher in WCN green. In this study, methanolic extract showed higher extraction efficiency than acetone, ethanol, and distilled water. WCN green had a significantly higher quantum of total phenolic (91.13 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid (36.6 mg QE/g) and presented significantly higher antioxidant activity than the WCN red. This study showed that, among both varieties, WCN green extract has therapeutic potential against free radical mediated health conditions and suggested the potential use of this fruit as a source of natural antioxidants in nutraceuticals.

Pheromone-Based Mating Disruption of Conogethes punctiferalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Chestnut Orchards.

Chestnuts (Castanea crenata Siebold and Zucc.) are one of the major agroforestry products in Korea, and Conogethes punctiferalis is a major pest of the chestnut fruit. Pheromone-based mating disruption (MD) has emerged as a promising eco-friendly approach to reduce population levels and ultimately mitigate fruit damage. Field trials were conducted over two years (2022-2023) in two commercial chestnut orchards in Central Korea that were infested with C. punctiferalis. Compared with the control treatment, the MD treatment effectively reduced the number of male C. punctiferalis captured in the MD treatment plots. Male catch inhibition (MCI) rates ranged from 70.5% to 82.7% in 2022 and from 87.8% to 95.1% in 2023. The MD efficacy (%) was calculated based on the total number of chestnut fruits collected and the number of fruits damaged by C. punctiferalis. In 2022, the MD efficacy of the single-dosage treatment (TS, 50 g/ha) was 63.9% in Orchard A and 73.6% in Orchard B. In 2023, the MD efficacies of the double-dosage treatment (TD, 100 g/ha) and the two-application treatment (TT, 50 g/ha in June and August) were 60.2% and 77.9% in Orchard A and 50.9% and 64.8% in Orchard B, respectively. This study confirms the efficacy of pheromone-based MD in reducing the C. punctiferalis numbers in chestnut orchards and damage to chestnut fruits.

Investigation of the effect of metal powder and metal-supported MCM-41 catalysts on the pyrolysis of horse chestnut fruits and shells (Aesculus hippocastanum L.)

AbstractHorse chestnut fruit and horse chestnut shell are derived from the same biomass but exhibit distinct structural characteristics. Different compounds can be produced through the pyrolysis of these materials. The pyrolysis process was conducted on horse chestnut fruit and shell at temperatures of 300, 400, and 500 °C, both with and without various catalysts (Al, Fe, MCM-41/Al, MCM-41/Fe). The synthesis of MCM-41 catalysts utilized a hydrothermal method, and their properties were assessed through XRD, SEM–EDX, and SEM–EDS analyses. The resulting products from the pyrolysis were analyzed using GC–MS and elemental analysis techniques. Optimal efficiency was achieved at 400 °C, with the highest HHV value recorded at 34.38 MJ/kg when Al powder catalyst was present.

OPTIMIZATION OF THE EXTRACTION PROCESS OF HORSE CHESTNUT (AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM L.) POLYSACCHARIDES

The results of the development of optimal parameters for the extraction process of polysaccharides isolated from the shells of horse chestnut fruits collected on the territory of Tashkent and the Tashkent region of the Republic of Uzbekistan are presented. To identify the optimal indicators affecting the extraction processes, the influence of the following parameters on the yield of polysaccharides was studied: the ratio of raw materials: extractant, the extraction rate, the extraction temperature, the degree of evaporation. It has been established that at ratios of raw materials : extractant of 1 : 30, the highest yield of the final product is observed leads to a significant increase in the yield of the final product. The influence of the temperature regime on the yield of polysaccharides was carried out in the temperature range from 25 to 120 °С. At the same time, under constant conditions of the bath modulus of 1 : 30 and the duration of extraction of 2 hours with varying temperature, the highest yield of polysaccharides is observed at a temperature of 95 °С. The optimal degree of evaporation of the extract, in which no large losses of the final product are observed, is the degree of evaporation by 4 times. To assess the influence of technological parameters on the change in qualitative or quantitative indicators of the quality of PS, a one-way analysis of variance was studied for each experiment. Analysis of variance showed the significance of the Fisher criterion, since the p-value is less than 0.05, therefore, the influence of the studied parameters on the yield of polysaccharides can be considered proven. Keywords: extraction, aqueous fraction, extractant, analysis of variance.

Amino acids profile of Two Chinese nuts (Juglans sigillata and Castanea mollissima ) in local markets of Kurdistan region/Iraq using HPLC

Aim: current study was aimed to study the amino acid contents of two Chinese nuts, walnuts (Juglans sigillata Dode.) and chestnuts (Castanea mollissima Blume.) from the local market of the Kurdistan region / Iraq. Methodology: Walnut fruits (Juglans sigillata) and chestnut fruits (Castanea mollissima) were collected from local market in the Kurdistan region / Iraq, samples were collected, dried and ground. one milgram of each sample was weighed, then dissolved in 10 ml High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methanol, the sample was shaken and agitated in an ultrasonic bath for 10 minutes , then concentrated by evaporating the solvent with a stream of liquid N2 until it reached 1 ml, filtrated the liquid sample on deposable sep-pak cartridge filter ( supleco Co, Ltd),then 20 ml were injected on HPLC column . Results: firstly current study can identified thirteen amino acids from chestnuts but there are only eight amino acids were identified from walnuts. Secondly, there are big different between them in the percentage of amino acids where valine is appear in the highest percentage which record 69.43 %, while it recorded 6.32% in chestnut fruit , While threonine showed the highest percentage in chestnuts arrived to 54.09% compared to only 3.72% in walnuts fruits.

Content of Organic Acid and Essential Fatty Acid in Natural Sweet Chestnuts Growing in Giresun/Turkey

This study investigated organic acid and volatile fatty acid components of sweet chestnut fruits collected from naturally growing chestnut trees within the borders of Giresun province. For this purpose, chestnut samples were collected from 10 trees in different regions of Giresun province. The organic acid composition of chestnuts was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Essential oil components were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Five different organic acids, including oxalic, quinic, maleic, citric and succinic acid, were investigated in chestnut samples, and the highest oxalic and citric acid concentrations were found in chestnut samples. In the GC-MS analysis of chestnut samples, 18 fatty acids were detected and terpilonene (TPO) was the most abundant among them. Another vital component found in chestnut samples is limonene.

Characterization and encapsulation efficiency of zein nanoparticles loaded with chestnut fruit shell, cedar and sweetgum bark extracts

Zein nanoparticles (ZNPs) loaded with bioactive extracts of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) shell, cedar (Cedrus libani) and sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis) bark wastes were produced using different methods. Nanoprecipitation, high-speed homogenization and ultrasonic homogenization allowed the fabrication of ZNPs with particle sizes smaller than 202.40 nm, 430.25 nm and 325.50 nm, respectively. The smallest nanoparticle size was achieved at 132.81 nm for sweetgum bark extract-loaded ZNPs obtained by the nanoprecipitation method. Encapsulation efficiency (EE) was between 34.03 and 96.83% for all zein nanoparticles fabricated under different mixtures and process conditions. Zein concentration and extract ratio played an essential role in the EE of nanoparticles. The best conditions were determined to obtain the desired properties of ZNPs based on particle size, polydispersity index and EE by using a central composite rotatable design. The nanoprecipitation method was more appropriate for producing chestnut and cedar shell/bark extract-loaded nanoparticles. In contrast, the high-speed homogenization method was suitable for producing sweetgum bark extract-loaded nanoparticles. As a result of the encapsulation of various shell/bark extracts within zein nanoparticles, value-added products were generated from wastes having bioactive compounds. The developed zein nanoparticles for each extract type would offer eco-friendly, simple and safe food processing and packaging systems.

The effect of roasting in microwave and oven on selected constituents, antioxidant activity, fatty acids, phenolic compounds and mineral contents of Chestnut (Cestanea sativa Milles) kernels

In this study, the effect of roasting in microwave and oven on selected constituents, bioactive properties, fatty acid compositions, polyphenol and mineral contents of Chestnuts (Cestanea sativa Milles) grown in Bursa in Turkey was investigated. The oil contents of Chestnut fruits are defined between 0.85 (control) and 3.30% (microwave). While antioxidant results of Chestnut roasted change between 68.07 (microwave) and 70.03% (oven), total phenolic amounts of Chestnut extracts roasted varied between 74.65 (control) and 129.10 mgGAE/100 g (oven). Gallic acid and 3,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid contents of Chestnut roasted were recorded between 9.55 (control) and 21.79 mg/100 g (microwave) to 2.93 (control) and 11.47 mg/100 g (microwave), respectively. Oleic and linoleic acid contens of unroasted and roasted chestnut oils were reported between 35.40 (microwave) and 38.91% (oven) to 39.02 (control) and 43.22% (microwave), respectively. The Ca and K amounts of unroasted and roasted Chestnut samples changed betweeen 770.40 (oven) and 1156.30 mg/kg (microwave) to 7436.01 (control) and 7947.72 mg/kg (microwave), respectively. In general, while oven roasting is recommended for bioactive components of Chestnuts, microwave roasting is recommended for phenolic components and minerals.

Photoluminescence Detection of Fluorouracil (5-FU) Anticancer Drug by Carbon Quantum Dots Containing Nitrogen from Chestnut Fruits Synthesized by Green Chemistry

Photoluminescence Detection of Fluorouracil (5-FU) Anticancer Drug by Carbon Quantum Dots Containing Nitrogen from Chestnut Fruits Synthesized by Green Chemistry

Digitalization of Fresh Chestnut Fruit Supply Chain through RFID: Evidence, Benefits and Managerial Implications

This study provides evidence of supply chain (SC) management based on the digitalization of a fresh fruit-supply chain (i.e., chestnuts) using a radio-frequency identification technology (RFID). This research adopted the value-chain operation reference (VCOR) to assess the implications, issues, and benefits of the SC digitalization, and to explore how RFID can be configured regarding the VCOR blocks. Within this framework, the SC stages, processes, and operations were assessed using a tailored performance measurement system (PMS) including a set of metrics tracked, quantified, and evaluated alongside a monitoring field campaign. The results indicated that: (i) the benefits deriving from the RFID are constrained by specific organizational procedures adopted in operations management; (ii) the PMS Indicators of the centralized warehouse, balancing the inventory between the processing line and the distribution channels, presented the most significant improvements across the whole SC.

Detection of on‐tree chestnut fruits using deep learning and RGB unmanned aerial vehicle imagery for estimation of yield and fruit load

AbstractThe on‐tree counting of chestnut fruit (bur) is essential for yield estimation and monitoring of fruit load as well as tree health, which is important in determining the management strategy for orchards, markets, and tree health monitoring. However, the practice is still conducted by manual count or farmers’ intuition. Precise and effective counting method is yet to be established. This study attempted to count chestnut fruits with the object detection algorithm, You Only Look Once (YOLO), using the RGB imagery collected with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The model trained with 500 images (7866 burs labeled with bounding boxes) in YOLO version 4 (v4) could count the number of burs with a R2 value of 0.98 and a root mean square error of 6.3 (8.3% of the mean) relative to the manual count in the data set for each whole tree (n = 53). The R2 of linear regression between the number of burs obtained with the YOLOv4 model and the total yield was 0.76, with a standard error of 1.08 kg tree−1 (26.4% of coefficient of variation), which was equivalent to the in situ burs count by an expert technician. In addition, the number of burs counted with the YOLOv4 model after the adjustment of trunk circumference was negatively correlated with nut weight. Overall, the study revealed that YOLO algorithm coupled with UAV‐based RGB imagery is a precise and efficient method for on‐tree burs detection, which could be used as an indicator of yield and fruit load.

Structural and Physicochemical Properties of Starch from Rejected Chestnut: Hydrothermal and High-Pressure Processing Dependence.

The quality standards for the export of chestnuts generate large quantities of rejected fruits, which require novel processing technologies for their safe industrial utilization. This study aimed to investigate the impact of high-pressure processing (HPP) and hydrothermal treatments (HT) on the physicochemical properties of rejected chestnut starch. Chestnuts were treated by HPP at 400, 500, and 600 MPa for 5 min and HT at 50 °C for 45 min. In general, all HPP treatments did not induce starch gelatinization, and their granules preserved the integrity and Maltese-cross. Moreover, starch granules' size and resistant starch content increased with the intensity of pressure. Native and HT chestnut starches were the most susceptible to digestion. HPP treatments did not affect the C-type crystalline pattern of native starch, but the crystalline region was gradually modified to become amorphous. HPP-600 MPa treated starch showed modified pasting properties and exhibited the highest values of peak viscosity. This study demonstrates for the first time that after HPP-600 MPa treatment, a novel chestnut starch gel structure is obtained. Moreover, HPP treatments could increase the slow-digesting starch, which benefits the development of healthier products. HPP can be considered an interesting technology to obtain added-value starch from rejected chestnut fruits.

Chestnut weevil Curculio elephas (Gyll.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Una-Sana canton (B&H)

The Una-Sana Canton (the northwest part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) abounds in large forest areas, where the self-sown sweet chestnuts Castanea sativa Mill. grow. However, the plant has been endangered due to the negative effects of disease-causing agents, harmful insects, and human factors (uncontrolled forest logging). Moreover, the chestnut weevil Curculio elephas causes significant damage to the local chestnut fruit. This study aims to analyze the emergence of the pest and the damage which it produces in the forest areas of the northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, precisely in Una-Sana Canton. The presence of the chestnut weevil has been examined on samples taken from 15 locations in chestnut forest in the municipalities of Cazin, Velika Kladuša and Bužim. In order to research this phenomenon more precisely, each fruit has been cut, the larvae have been separated from it and damage in the inner part of the fruit has been observed. The number of larvae has been noted per a sample. With respect to each sample, the mass of healthy and damaged part of the fruit has been measured. The number of larvae ranges from 5 to 15 per sample. The percentage of damaged fruit parts ranges from 4,2% to 13,6%. The reason for the increased presence of the chestnut weevil in the analyzed chestnut forest is in addition to the beneficial chemical composition of the fruit and the late detection of the presence of insect existing in severely large populations. The use of chemical preparations (pesticides) as a solution to this issue is ecologically unacceptable, especially in a larger area. It is mandatory to manually collect all the fruit that fells of the chestnut trees prematurely and, moreover, to stop the further development of the larvae. Considerable results can also be achieved by separating individual chestnut stands and changing the purpose of its use, as well as combining the method with the limited use of pesticides.