What are the factors that determine the quality of hazelnut?
According to the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), international regulations have been established to control the chemical, microbiological, pesticide, and contaminant content of hazelnuts. These regulations oversee the quality of the form of the nuts, chemical parameters, pesticides, contaminants, and quality assurance programs.
1. Quality of the Form
In-Shell
- Whole
- Dried
- Sound
- Free from visible mold filaments
- Free from living pests
- Free from damage caused by pests (including their presence, debris or excreta)
- Free from abnormal external moisture
- Free from foreign smell and/or taste
- Shell
- Intact (slight superficial damage is not considered a defect)
- Clean (adhering husk ≤ 5% of the total shell surface)
- Free from blemishes, areas of discoloration or spread stains (≤ 20% of the surface of the shell)
- Well-formed
- Kernel
- Free from rancidity
- Sufficiently developed (fill at least 50% of the shell cavity)
- Not desiccated (< 25% of the surface of the kernel)
- Free from blemishes, areas of discoloration or spread stains (< 25% of the surface of the kernel)
- Well-formed
Kernels
- Intact (scraping < 3 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm in depth shall not be considered as a defect)
- Sound
- Clean (practically free of foreign matter)
- Sufficiently developed (desiccated, dried out or tough portions < 50% of the kernel)
- Free from blemishes, areas of discoloration or spread stains (< 25% of the surface of the shell)
- Free from living pests
- Free from damage caused by pests (including their presence, debris or excreta. However, pest damage caused by cimiciato is allowed, provided that there is only one pot on the kernel < 3 mm in diameter and in depth)
- Free from visible mold filaments
- Free from rancidity
- Free of abnormal external moisture
- Free of foreign smell and/or taste
2. Chemical Parameters
The chemical parameters are based on moisture, free fatty acids, and peroxide value, which are listed in the following table:
3. Pesticides
The use of chemicals is carefully regulated and so they must be used responsibly. Producers should be aware of all rules regarding the products they use and the maximum residue limits in the destination market.
4. Contaminants
The contaminants factor refers to the level of aflatoxins in the hazelnut, which varies by country.
5. Quality Assurance Programs
The following programs are endorsed by the industry:
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), which provide growers guidelines and principles to apply to on-farm production and postproduction processes, to provide safe and healthy nuts, minimizing potential hazards, such as pathogens, contaminants and pest management materials.
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), which define procedures to be used in the processing, packaging, storing and transport stages by handlers to ensure the quality of the product. GMP are used by handlers to treat hazelnuts under the best sanitary conditions.
Good Storage Practices (GSP), which provide procedures that should be in place in the post-harvest, processing and transport stages by handlers to control the moisture content and temperature and to minimize the levels of fungi (especially aflatoxins) and insects.
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), which provides a systematic preventive approach to food safety that identifies, assesses and controls the risk of biological, chemical and physical hazards in production processes.
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