Effect of Harvest Maturity Packaging and Prepackaging Treatments on Quality of Shelled Walnuts Juglans regia L Stored under Varying Conditions

Abstract

newlineWalnut (Juglans regia L.) consumption has many health benefits because it is a good source newlineof omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and other antioxidants associated with a healthy heart and a newlinepotential reduction of cancer cell growth. The production of walnut has a noticeable poverty newlinereducing impact in rural areas of the state. Appropriate post-harvest handling, scientific newlinepackaging and storage is part and parcel of harmonious system in production and marketing. newlineThe thesis title namely Effect of Harvest Maturity, Packaging and Prepackaging Treatments newlineon Quality of Shelled Walnuts (Juglans regia L.) Stored under Varying Conditions entailed newlineresearch carried out in post-harvest management studies along with assessment of impact of newlineharvest maturity on kernel quality of walnuts. The results revealed positive and additive newlineeffects of the low temperature (10 ± 1 newlineoC) storage conditions and low air availability in HDPE newlinevacuum pouches which was conducive for protection against deterioration even under newlineprolonged storage duration. Walnut kernels varied significantly in their physico-chemical newlineproperties, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and oxidative stability under low newlinetemperature and ambient storage conditions. Ascorbic acid pre-treatment used as an newlineantioxidant and as a bleaching agent for walnut kernels provided superior effects in terms of newlinekernel quality. On the basis of effect of harvest maturity on walnut kernel quality analysis it newlinecan be concluded that walnut kernels in the early stages (pre-PTB) of ripening show higher newlineconsumer acceptability. At this stage kernels contain predominantly more biologically active newlinecompounds than in the later stages (PTB and post-PTB) of fruit maturity thereby suggesting newlinethat harvesting of these walnuts during pre-PTB stage of ripening would be more newlineadvantageous. Walnut kernel extracts belonging to three maturity stages were screened for newlinetheir antibacterial properties. Inhibition of gram positive and gram negative bacteria by newlinewalnut extracts, notably obtained ......