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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #82573
Title: COLD STORAGE AND TEMPERING OF SHELLED PEANUTS

Author
item Wright, Farrin
item Butts, Christopher - Chris

Submitted to: American Peanut Research and Education Society Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/16/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The response of shelled peanuts placed in fiberboard and plastic bulk containers were compared during cool down in cold storage and tempering in ambient conditions. The fiberboard (FB) (121x102x124 cm) is used commercially to ship shelled peanuts. The plastic box (PB) (121x121x61 cm) is used to ship many other food products. Type-T thermocouples and relative humidity (RH) sensors, positioned at the top, middle and bottom of each box were monitored at 15-min intervals. Initial peanut temperature (T) was about 10 C when placed in a cold storage operating at 3 C and 70 % RH. After 7 d in cold storage, the boxes were placed in a closed area where the T varied between 15 and 27 C and the RH varied between 40 and 80% over the 8-day period. T and RH in the top of the PB and FB responded significantly within 20 H to the cold storage conditions. The midpoint T in PB decreased about -0.0239 C/h while the midpoint T in the FB decreased about -0.0152C/h. RH readings in both containers remained fairly constant at ñ5% of the cold storage RH. During the tempering period, the T response in the PB was much faster than the FB. The top and bottom T in the PB changed about 11 C in 80 h compared to more than 180 h in the FB. The PB responded faster than the FB to surrounding conditions. The PB offers an alternative for handling shelled peanuts in a container than can be completely sterilized for control of insects and food contaminants.