A comparison of fatty acid and sensory profiles of raw and roasted pecan cultivars

Abstract

Five fatty acids comprise the bulk of the lipid content in pecans: palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. Understanding the profiles of these fatty acids and how they relate to sensory characteristics may offer an explanation for flavor and flavor defects that may exist in certain cultivars of pecans. The objective of this study was to examine and compare fatty acid profiles of three cultivars of pecans (Major, Lakota, and Chetopa), over two crop years, under raw and roasted preparation methods, and understand the fatty acids association with sensory attributes. Percentages of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids to total fatty acid content were determined using gas chromatography, and sensory profiles were generated using descriptive sensory analysis. Similar trends were seen across samples, with oleic acid comprising the majority of the total fatty acids and linolenic acid comprising the smallest percentage. There were significant differences in fatty acid content among cultivars and between pecans in the first and second crop year. Few associations were found between the fatty acids and sensory attributes, which suggest that combinations of the fatty acids contribute to certain pleasant or undesirable flavor attributes in the pecans. Subtle differences in fatty acid composition may lead to variation in flavor and flavor intensity or draw attention to or from certain attributes during consumption. Differences in crop year indicated that fatty acid content and therefore flavor are variable year to year. Practical Application This study will help understand how fatty acid content of pecans varies from year to year. This should be taken into account when manufacturing products with pecans as the nutritional content of the product may change as the result.

Screening of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum with High Stress Tolerance and High Esterase Activity and Their Effect on Promoting Protein Metabolism and Flavor Formation in Suanzhayu, a Chinese Fermented Fish

“…As shown in Figure 3, when compared to the control group, the inoculated groups had a significant increase in sourness and a significant decrease in bitterness. The M2 group had the lowest pH in the model system, but it did not have the highest sourness, which could be because of the fact that L. plantarum M22 produced some non-sour acidic substances during the fermentation process, such as palmitic acid [28]. Although the BAA content increased significantly after inoculation in both the model and actual systems, the electronic tongue results showed that bitterness decreased in the inoculated groups.…”

Consumer Hedonic Ratings and Associated Sensory Characteristics and Emotional Responses to Fourteen Pecan Varieties Grown in Texas

“…Consumer hedonic ratings are associated with the perceived sensory attributes and their intensity levels, determining the degree of pleasure experienced during consumption [ 16 ]. Descriptive sensory studies have reported the same descriptors for raw and roasted pecan kernels in that pecan nut sensory properties are characterized with 20 sensory attributes [ 17 , 18 ]. The evaluation of the five sensory attributes (typical-pecan flavor, raw-nut flavor, buttery flavor, sweetness, and astringency) in this study indicated that the signature flavors consumers perceived were typical-pecan flavor and raw-nut flavor, followed by buttery flavor, sweet taste, and astringency.…”

Infrared radiation blanching–inhibited browning and extended shelf life of pecan kernels

“…Pecan kernels, raw materials obtained after harvesting, drying, and shelling, are rich in proteins, polyphenols, unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), and other biological active substances such as phytosterols and tocopherols (Wakeling et al., 2001). Pecan kernels have been consumed by the indigenous people since ancient times and are in high demand around the world at present due to the rich nutrients, health promotion, and disease prevention (Murley et al., 2020). However, during the transportation, processing, and storage, pecan kernels may be subjected to detrimental environmental conditions that can lead to their qualities in decline, such as color deterioration, lipid oxidation, and nutrient degradation, thus shortening the shelf life of the products (Prabhakar et al., 2022).…”