Micromechanical properties of almond kernels with various moisture content levels

Almond fruits are subjected to various mechanical stresses throughout production, from harvest to processing, storage and packaging. Kernel properties play an important role in reducing mechanical damage such as scratches and penetration of shell pieces. Knowledge of kernel properties under various conditions of the fruit can assist in optimising post-harvest and processing lines to minimise kernel damage and thus maximise final kernel quality. Kernel moisture content is one of the main attributes affecting the kernel’s response to mechanical processing. Increasing the kernel moisture content to an optimum level through wetting fruit prior to processing can lead to a reduced percentage of damaged kernel. Water added to the structure of kernels acted as a plasticiser and helped the kernels to absorb the mechanical load instead of fracturing and breaking into pieces. In this study, tests were conducted on almond kernels with different moisture content levels from 5.52 to 14.09g/100g wet basis. Kernels from a Nonpareil variety were tested in dried and wetted conditions. Test results showed that kernels with higher moisture content were able to undergo a larger deformation at a given force value in comparison with dry kernels. Average deformation for dry samples was from 0.12 mm, which increased to an average of 0.25 mm in wetted samples. The effect of skin on the mechanical properties of the kernels (with and without skin) was studied using a mechanical tester. The test results showed a peak force value in samples tested with skin in comparison with the kernels tested without skin.