INFLUENCE OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS AND DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON PISTACHIO (Pistacia vera L.) OIL QUALITY

Pistachio as a strategic product has a particular position among Iranian productions and is one of the most important non-oil exports after carpet. In this study, after primary processing such as dehulling, washing, drying and roasting, pistachio nuts were packed in four different atmospheres including N2, CO2, vacuum and ambient air. Storage temperatures were 20 C and 40 C for a 12 month period. The evaluated packaging materials were a plastic compound five layers film, a modified polypropylene pouch, and a metalized plastic pouch (polypropylene with a layer of aluminum). After extracting pistachio oil with hexane, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) index, free fatty acids (FFA), and induction time (IT) were measured at three-month intervals. Statistical analysis of our data revealed that stored samples under N2, CO2 and vacuum had a lower TBA index compared with air-packed ones, and the IT of pistachio oil was longer at 20 C than at 40 C. Keywords—Packaging, pistachio oil, free fatty acids, oxidation, shelf life.