Abstract
Color, moisture and sucrose, glucose and fructose contents of chestnuts (Castanea sativa Mill.) at several initial states (whole and undried; whole, peeled, and partially air-dried, with or without prior sucrose treatment; peeled, broken, and undried or partially air-dried) were monitored for 11 months during storage under various conditions (unpacked, packed in plastic bags at ambient pressure, or vacuum packed) and temperature (at room temperature, 3°C or -18°C). Moisture content decreased considerably in all cases except in those of packed whole peeled chestnuts without sucrose treatment and stored at room temperature or 3°C. Chestnuts stored for 2 months in contact with the atmosphere had moisture contents of only ∼4% of their dry weight. After 4 months storage, sucrose content had fallen (in some cases to zero) in all samples except in broken chestnuts dried to a 2% moisture content and conventionally stored whole unpeeled chestnuts (in which sucrose content rose slightly). Glucose and fructose contents generally peaked after 1-2 months of storage, and by month 4 returned to initial or lower levels. Sugar content was hardly affected by initial moisture or sugar contents except when moisture content had been reduced to 2%. Color changes were least during storage in air or at 3°C.