Journal of Nuts
Volume:2 Issue: 2, Spring 2011

The prediction of product acceptability is often an additive effect of individual fuzzy impressions developed by a consumer on certain underlying attributes characteristic of the product. In this paper, we present the development of a data-driven fuzzy-rule-based approach for predicting the overall sensory acceptability of pistachio green hull’s marmalade. The model was formulated using the Takagi-Sugeno and Kang (TSK) fuzzy modeling approach. The fuzzy membership function for the sensory scores is implemented in MATLAB 7.6 (R2008a) using the fuzzy logic toolbox and weights of each linguistic attribute were obtained using a correlation coefficient formula. The results obtained are compared to those of human judgments. Overall assessments suggest that, if implemented, this approach will facilitate a better acceptability of pistachio green hull’s marmalade.

Many factors influence physical properties of edible composite films fabricated from hydrocolloids and lipids. Novel edible emulsified films were made using PGP, glycerol and stearic (SA) or oleic (OA) fatty acids by Tween-80 addition and emulsification of filmogenic solutions. In this study, the effect of physical state of fatty acids on the pistachio globulin protein (PGP) edible film properties was investigated. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the water vapor permeability (WVP), tensile strength (TS) and opacity of emulsified films containing SA and OA. SA was more effective than OA in WVP diminishing. The decrease values of 42 and 26.5% were observed for films with SA and OA, respectively. TS and elongation at break values of films containing OA were lower than SA ones. Oxygen permeability (OP) was evaluated indirectly applying peroxide value measurement. No significant difference was observed in the OP of the films. Water solubility was not affected by the physical state of fatty acids either. The solid state of SA at the room temperature caused the resultant films to be more opaque than OA containing films. Our findings indicated that PGP films modified with SA had better physical properties special in WVP reduction than OA ones and could be potentially used for primary packaging of foods with high water loss problem.

In order to study on some of pistachio cultivars’ contamination of Khorasan-e-Razavi province,eight cultivars of pistachio kernels were collected from the pistachio production areas of this province. Using serial dilution method, 10 grams of ground pistachio was moved to 90 ml water peptone and continuous dilutions 10-1, 10-2 were prepared. Then 0.1 ml from each dilution was inoculated in three replicates on plates containing AFPA medium and was placed inside an incubator at 28 ° C for 72 hours. The characteristic of this environment is the advent of green yellowish colonies by Aspergillus flavus and Parasiticus that is distinguishing criteria of mentioned fungi. Since it has capacity to stop interfering bacteria and fungi growth causes the emersion of distinct and discrete colonies that are easily seperable and countable from each other. After three days, the number of colonies of A.flavus was identified and calculated in samples. The results of this research indicated that there was a significant difference in colonies number of these fungi in different pistachio cultivars (At 5% level). Among these cultivars Akbari Namavar had the highest contamination and against, Fandoghi 1 had the lowest contamination.

Pollen viability and its germination capability for fruit set in are almond and peach essential. To optimize the pollen culture medium of almond and peach and selection of best medium, the present study was carried out with 48 different culture media containing different compositions including diverse levels of boric acid (0 and 100mg/1), calcium nitrate (0, 150and300mg/l،), magnesium sulphate (0 and200mg/l), potassium nitrate (0 and100 mg/l), sucrose (10 and15 %) and agar (1 %). Following optimization of the best medium, in order to determine the viability of stored pollens of almond and peach cultivars, three months after maintenance at 4°C, -20°C and -80°C was assessed through evaluation of their germination percentage using optimized medium. Maximum pollen germination (99. 80 %) was recorded in B2M2K C2S medium (boric acid 100 mg/l, magnesium sulphate 100 mg/l, potassium nitrate 0. 0 mg/l, calcium nitrate 0. 0 mg/l, sucrose 15 % and agar 1%). Lowest germination percentage (30. 57 %) was found in B K1M2C3S1 medium (boric acid 0. 0 mg/l, potassium nitrate 0. 0 mg/l, magnesium sulphate 100 mg/l, calcium nitrate 150 mg/l, sucrose 10 % and agar 1 %). Data recorded for pollen germination of stored pollen showed that Rabie Pollen stored at -80°C gave highest germination (90. 66 %) while the lowest germination (64. 0 %) was observed in Anjiri pollen stored at +4°C. The findings of the present study may help the fruit breeders and whoever is involved in pollen analysis studies.

Pistachio is one of the most important horticultural products of Iran with special economic importance. In average 70% of Iran pistachio are exported. Aflatoxin is secondary metabolites of fungus such as Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. If favorite condition is prepared for stabilization of fungi spores producing Aflatoxin, the first pistachio contamination to Aflatoxin occurs in orchard. The most important way for penetration of mentioned fungus is cracking in pistachio hull in orchard. The most dangerous kind of cracking is early splitting. The shells of most pistachio nuts split naturally in the orchard prior to harvest. Sometimes the hull is attached to the shell so that it splits with the shell, exposing the kernel to moulds and insects. This is called an "early split". Although the importance of early splitting for mould, aflatoxin and insect contamination is well established, very little is known concerning the physical property of early split pistachio. In order to determination appearance and physical properties of contaminated pistachios this researched was carried out on three commercial Iranian pistachio cultivars of Owhadi, Kallehghochi and Ahmadaghaii in processing stage in two mechanized pistachio processing and two sampling times. Sampling were done from non-stain and stained split pistachio on the surface of water, stained and non-stained of pistachio under the water (sank pistachio), small pistachio, deformed pistachios, shelled pistachio and intact pistachio from the end of processing. Stained pistachios were divided in 3 groups including group 1 (amount of stain 1-30%), group 2 (amount of stain 31-60%) and group 3 (amount of stain more 60%). The amount of aflatoxin was measured by scanner-TLC in each sample. The results indicated that stained pistachio on the surface of water had the highest amount of aflatoxin. With increasing of stain level on shell, the amount of aflatoxin increased remarkably. The amount of aflatoxin in stained sinked pistachios of groups 1, 2, 3, was 490, 1364.7 and 1782 ppb respectively. Small, deformed and shelled pistachios had negligible amount of aflatoxin and final pistachios (intact pistachio from the end processing) showed any contamination to aflatoxin.

Almond is one of the most important nut crops in Iran. Due to the suitable climatic conditions, Iran is one of the most important growing centers for wild and domesticated species of almond in world. Native genotypes typically are early flowering, due to late spring frost, often; they have been damaged. So frost damage to the flowers and early developing fruits is one of the most limiting factors in the most almond cultivation regions of the world. This study was undertaken to help understand almond response to frost damage at different phenological stages, in order to develop criteria for the selection of cultivars with improved resistance to frost on the basis of field experiment with temperature fall (-4°C in 21 march 2010) was occurred naturally. In this stage, all early, medium and late flowering almonds damaged, but damage severity was different. Obviously, there was genetic diversity for cold resistant among genotypes and varieties of almond. Frost damage percentage of cultivars and genotypes after frost was measured at least 100 flowers of each cultivar with 3 replications. Results showed that the severity of frost damage was influenced by genotypes of almond and stage of flower bud development and other indices such as leafing stage. After the evaluating the 29 almond selections, based on flowering time and late frost spring resistance, they were divided into high cold resistant; medium cold resistant; low cold resistant and very low cold resistance. Also, it was found that one promising genotypes with high late frost spring resistant was medium flowering.

In the current study with using of 553 questionnaires, knowledge of Kerman small pistachio growers regarding hygienic pistachio production especially aflatoxin was investigated. The results showed that factors such as high density of pistachio trees in the orchards and limited water resources are the main factors of creating potential of aflatoxin contamination in pistachio. These factors are not solved in a short term plans and should be considered in a long term programs. The results also showed that small pistachio growers doing most effort to observe hygienic cases and lack of knowledge in many of these areas are causing the problem. Therefore, there is a necessity to provide more extension. A survey in extension priorities of growers, also, indicated that technical extension including the definition of aflatoxin, its effect on health and etc. should be in the first priority. The next stage of “pistachio processing” and “marketing” was in second priority and pistachio orchard was the third priority. Although most of processing units are traditional, but, knowledge about them exists, so must make effort in order to solve their financial problems and executive action.