Physical and Dietary Properties of In-shell Pine Nuts (Pinus pinea L.) and Kernels

Aims: This study aims at determining physical and chemical properties of Turkish pine nut shells and kernels over a time span. Besides, changes in composition and nutritive value of the pine nut are evaluated according to the prevailing climatic conditions.

Study Design: The experiment was conducted as completely randomized design, physical analyses were performed as three, and chemical analyses as two replicates per sample prepared.

Place and Duration of Study: Kozak District Agricultural Development Cooperative and Ege University of Department of Horticulture in Izmir, Turkey, between July and August in three crop years.

Methodology: Pine nut (Pinus pinea L.) shell samples (Pinus pinea) were obtained from Kozak District Agricultural Development Cooperative. The sampling is based on sub-sampling in-shell nuts from 50 kg bags in July and August. 20 subsamples were collected from different bags and 24, 27 and 36 aggregate samples (~ 3 kg) were prepared annually.

Results: The in-shell nut quality displayed yearly differences in terms of cracked and defected nuts cracked varying between 17 and 43% and defects ranging between 2 and 4%. The pine nut kernel composition was determined as moisture 4.64%, water activity 0.452, ash 4.19%, fat 45.8%, protein 31.98% and carbohydrates 13.16%. Potassium, phosphorus and magnesium were the predominant elements. Kernels are also rich in iron and zinc. Oleic and linoleic acids were the major unsaturated fatty acids (85.4%), while palmitic and stearic acids the as saturated fatty acids (9.8%).

Conclusion: The results confirm that pine nut kernels produced in Kozak area are a rich source of many important nutrients having positive effect on human health compared to other Mediterranean pine nuts origins.