Woodhead Publishing Improving the Safety and Quality of Nuts (Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition)

As tree nuts and peanuts become increasingly recognised for their health-promoting properties, the provision of safe, high quality nuts is a growing concern. Improving the safety and quality of nuts reviews key aspects of nut safety and quality management. Part one explores production and processing practices and their influence on nut contaminants including agricultural practices to reduce microbial contamination of nuts, pest control in postharvest nuts, and the impact of nut postharvest handling, de-shelling, drying and storage on quality. Chapters in part two focus on improving nut quality and safety and highlight the impact of roasting on nut quality and advances in automated nut sorting. Final chapters explore the safety and quality of a variety of nuts including almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, peanuts, pistachios and walnuts. Key Features: reviews key aspects of nut safety and quality management and addresses the influences of production and processing practices on nut safety; analyses particular nut contaminants, safety management in nut processing and significant nut quality issues, such as oxidative rancidity; places focus on quality and safety in the production and processing of selected types of nuts. Contents: Part 1 Production and processing practices and influence on nut contaminants: Agricultural practices to reduce microbial contamination of nuts; Impact of nut postharvest handling, de-shelling, drying and storage on quality; Non-thermal processing technologies to improve the safety of nuts; Pest control in postharvest nuts; Mycotoxin contamination of nuts; Integrating Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Statistical Process Control (SPC) for safer nut processing; Validation of processes for reducing the microbial load on nuts. Part 2 Improving nut quality and safety: Impact of roasting on nut quality; Oxidative rancidity in nuts; Advances in automated nut sorting; Improving the quality and safety of walnuts; Improving the quality and safety of macadamia nuts; Improving the safety and quality of pecans; Improving the quality and safety of peanuts; Improving the safety of almonds and pistachios; Appendix: Detecting tree nut and seed allergens in food.