Location: Food Science and Market Quality and Handling Research Unit
Title: Peanut seed maturation, quality and nutritional compositionAuthor
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Dean, Lisa |
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EICKHOLT, CLAIRE - General Mills, Inc |
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Submitted to: Peanut Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2025 Publication Date: 2/6/2025 Citation: Dean, L.L., Eickholt, C.M. 2025. Peanut seed maturation, quality and nutritional composition. Peanut Science. 52(2):2-16. https://doi.org/10.3146/0095-3679-52.2-PS1628. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3146/0095-3679-52.2-PS1628 Interpretive Summary: The unique flavor of roasted peanuts is a large part of their appeal to consumers. The maturity of peanuts plays a major role in the quality of the roasted product. Since peanuts grow underground, it is impossible to tell how mature they are until after they are harvested by digging. This paper discusses the biochemistry of the major nutritional components and how they change as the peanut grows. The effects on roasted peanut flavor of each component are reviewed. Technical Abstract: Due to the indeterminant flowering nature of the peanut plant, at harvest, a range of seed maturities are found. Although sorting by size does produce seed lots of consistent maturity, some quantity of immature kernels may be present as it has been reported that a peanut pod may grow to its final size before the seed inside is fully mature. This review discusses the physical and chemical changes that occur with peanut seed maturation. The effects on the peanut composition and resulting quality of the components and roasted peanut flavor and lipid quality are presented. |
