Pecan Flavor Changes During Storage

Abstract

Sixteen pecan [ Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.)K. Koch] cultivars, 'Giles', 'Hirschi', 'Maramec', 'Oswego', 'Lakota', 'Chetopa', 'Colby', 'Witte', 'Dooley', 'Kanza', 'Pawnee', 'Stuart', 'Chickasaw', 'Peruque', 'Major', and 'Henning', were evaluated by descriptive sensory analysis to assess changes in their flavor profiles as kernels aged at room temperature. Six trained panelists evaluated four flavor attributes at five time points (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months) to determine how the flavor of cultivars changed. There was an interaction between time and cultivar for rancidity, bitterness, and sweetness; for example 'Kanza' changed less in its sensory properties than 'Henning' over storage time. The rancidity, bitterness, and sourness increased over time for all 16 cultivars while sweetness decreased for all cultivars Future studies should evaluate consumer acceptance of these cultivars at every time point to determine when the pecans are no longer acceptable. This information can be used by pecan growers who are selecting cultivars for commercial production and by consumers who are selecting cultivars for different applications.