INFLUENCE OF IRRIGATION ON KEEPING QUALITY OF ALMOND KERNELS

Quality and chemical changes were determined in almond kernels (Prumus amygdalus) stored for 12 months under simulated warehouse conditions after being harvested from irrigated and nonirrigated trees. The chemical and physical characteristics of the extracted oil differed greatly among the 6 cultivars tested. Irrigation and storage significantly influenced quality of the kernels and stability of the oil. Autooxidation during storage was closely correlated with the degree of unsaturation in the oil extracted at harvest time. Free fatty acid content, saponification values and spectrophotometric indices of the oil after 12 months' storage revealed greater oxidative alterations in the kernels from irrigated plots than in nonirrigated ones.