title: Quality changes in macadamia kernel between harvest and farm-gate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Macadamia integrifolia, Macadamia tetraphylla and their hybrids are cultivated for their edible kernels. After harvest, nuts-in-shell are partially dried on-farm and sorted to eliminate poor-quality kernels before consignment to a processor. During these operations, kernel quality may be lost. In this study, macadamia nuts-in-shell were sampled at five points of an on-farm postharvest handling chain from dehusking to the final storage silo to assess quality loss prior to consignment. Shoulder damage, weight of pieces and unsound kernel were assessed for raw kernels, and colour, mottled colour and surface damage for roasted kernels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shoulder damage, weight of pieces and unsound kernel for raw kernels increased significantly between the dehusker and the final silo. Roasted kernels displayed a significant increase in dark colour, mottled colour and surface damage during on-farm handling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant loss of macadamia kernel quality occurred on a commercial farm during sorting and storage of nuts-in-shell before nuts were consigned to a processor. Nuts-in-shell should be dried as quickly as possible and on-farm handling minimised to maintain optimum kernel quality.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Health and Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia. dwalton3@usc.edu.au
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D003116:Color; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods; D003890:Desiccation; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005524:Food Technology; D039106:Macadamia; D009754:Nuts / Q000592:standards*; D013499:Surface Properties