Hazelnut postharvest technology: A review
2022
Rea Vrtodušić | Dario Ivić | Tomislav Jemrić | Marko Vuković
In the Republic of Croatia, hazel (Corylus avellana L.) is the fruit species with the largest recorded increase in cultivation. Due to its high content of lipids and moisture (at the time of harvest) hazelnuts are susceptible to quality deterioration (rancidity development, mycotoxins contamination etc.) and therefore proper harvest and post-harvest handling is necessary to preserve their quality. Hazelnuts are most often collected from the ground by the appropriate mechanization. After harvesting, proper drying of is a crucial measure. Hazelnuts in the shell should be dried to about 7 - 10% moisture, and the kernel moisture content should be from about 4 - 6%. The maximum drying temperature should never exceed 50 °C. Regarding the storage conditions, the relative humidity is the most important factor and should never exceed 70%, while it is optimal to range from about 55 - 65%. Low temperatures (<10 °C) are effective means of prolonging hazelnut storage life because numerous negative processes (rancidity development, microbiological activity, etc.) are notably slowed down. The use of a modified atmosphere (low oxygen concentrations) has also shown to be an effective measure in prolonging storage life.
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