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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #327254
Research Project: Postharvest Systems to Assess and Preserve Peanut Quality and Safety

Location: National Peanut Research Laboratory

Title: Alternative Storage Environments for Shelled Peanuts.

Author
item Butts, Christopher - Chris
item HORN, KATIE - Mars Chocolate North America
item POWELL, SHANE - Birdsong Peanuts
item ANTHONY, BRIAN - Mars Chocolate North America
item BENNETT, JOHN - Mars Chocolate North America
item COWART, DARLENE - Birdsong Peanuts
item Lamb, Marshall

Submitted to: American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/2016
Publication Date: 12/15/2016
Citation: Butts, C.L., Horn, K., Powell, S., Anthony, B., Bennett, J., Cowart, D., Lamb, M.C. 2016. Alternative Storage Environments for Shelled Peanuts.. 48th Proceedings American Peanut Research and Education Society Inc. Annual Meeting. Jul-12-14,2016. Clearwater Beach, FL. Vol 48, pg 44 Abstracts. URL: apresinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2016-Proceedings.pdf.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Alternative Storage Environments for Shelled Peanuts. C. L. BUTTS1, K. HORM2, S. POWELL3, B. ANTHONY2, J. BENNETT2, D. COWART3, and M.C. LAMB1. 1USDA, ARS, National Peanut Research Laboratory, Dawson, GA, 2Mars Chocolate NA, Elizabethtown, PA,3 Birdsong Peanuts, Blakely, GA Small chamber studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of storing shelled peanuts at three different temperatures, 38, 55, and 70°F for one year. Shelled medium runner peanuts from the 2014 crop were placed in the three different environments in Feb 2015, sampled at 60-d intervals until Feb 2016 (364 days). Difficulty maintaining the desired relative humidity of 65% in the 38°F unit, led to unacceptable mold growth and severely degraded seed germination. Peanuts stored at 70°F developed an infestation of Indian meal moth after 238 d in storage rendering the samples unsuitable for sensory analysis from that point forward. The infestation most likely occurred due to hatches of eggs that were present in the original samples. Sensory analysis showed very little fade of the intensity of the Roasted Peanutty flavor characteristic in either storage environments. No unacceptable increases in free fatty acids or peroxide values were noted at the end of the 1-yr storage period for peanuts stored at 55°F remaining well below 1%. Commercial studies were conducted to compare the potential of high moisture problems, wetness when storing shelled medium runner peanuts for 60 d at 38 and 55°F. During the period from Feb 2015 through Mar 2016, six 60-d runs were conducted where three totes were placed in each of the storage environments. There were no differences in the initial moisture content of peanuts when placed in the two storage environments. However, after 30 and 60-d storage, the peanuts stored at 55°F tended to be an average of 0.3% dryer than those stored at 38°F. The peanuts also increased in moisture the most during the storage period between June and August 2015, with the moisture content after 30 and 60 d storage at 38°F averaged 8.1 and 7.7%, respectively. The peanuts stored in the 55°F environment averaged 7.6 and 7.3% moisture content after 30 and 60 d in storage, respectively.