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1
BANSAL, ANIKA, THOMAS M. JONES, SHIRIN J. ABD, MICHELLE D. DANYLUK, and LINDA J. HARRIS. "Most-Probable-Number Determination of Salmonella Levels in Naturally Contaminated Raw Almonds Using Two Sample Preparation Methods." Journal of Food Protection 73, no. 11 (November 1, 2010): 1986–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-73.11.1986.
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Pathogens occurring in particulate foods may be unevenly distributed, which may impact interpretation of most-probable-number (MPN) values. The MPN analysis of Salmonella in naturally contaminated raw almonds was conducted using two sample preparation methods. Raw almond kernels (3,698 samples) and inshell almonds (455 samples) were collected from almond processors throughout California during the 2006 and 2007 harvests, and 100-g samples were enriched for Salmonella. The prevalence of Salmonella on kernels and inshell almonds was 1.6 and 0.9%, respectively, in 2006, and 0.83 and 2.2%, respectively, in 2007. Almond kernel samples from 2006 were further enriched for Salmonella, and levels of the organism were determined for positive samples by three-tube MPN analysis (25 g, 2.5 g, 0.25 g). Almonds were either divided into subsamples prior to blending and enrichment (method A), or samples were blended in enrichment broth prior to preparation of subsamples (method B). Salmonella was not isolated (<1.2 MPN/100 g) upon retesting of 19 of 31 (method A) or 23 of 29 (method B) positive samples. When detected, levels were 1.4 to 15.5 MPN/100 g (average 2.3 MPN/100 g) or 1.4 to 18.3 MPN/100 g (average 2.1 MPN/100 g) using methods A or B, respectively. A total of 23 different Salmonella serovars were identified from the original almond samples. Salmonella Muenchen was the most frequently isolated serovar (15%) from the 53 Salmonella-positive samples, followed by Newport (12%), Enteritidis (10%), and Typhimurium (8%). No correlation was found between presence of Salmonella and E. coli levels, aerobic plate counts, or counts of yeasts or molds.
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Torres, Irina, María-Teresa Sánchez, Miguel Vega-Castellote, and Dolores Pérez-Marín. "Fraud Detection in Batches of Sweet Almonds by Portable Near-Infrared Spectral Devices." Foods 10, no. 6 (May 28, 2021): 1221. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods10061221.
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One of the key challenges for the almond industry is how to detect the presence of bitter almonds in commercial batches of sweet almonds. The main aim of this research is to assess the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) by means of using portable instruments in the industry to detect batches of sweet almonds which have been adulterated with bitter almonds. To achieve this, sweet almonds and non-sweet almonds (bitter almonds and mixtures of sweet almonds with different percentages (from 5% to 20%) of bitter almonds) were analysed using a new generation of portable spectrophotometers. Three strategies (only bitter almonds, bitter almonds and mixtures, and only mixtures) were used to optimise the construction of the non-sweet almond training set. Models developed using partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) correctly classified 86–100% of samples, depending on the instrument used and the strategy followed for constructing the non-sweet almond training set. These results confirm that NIR spectroscopy provides a reliable, accurate method for detecting the presence of bitter almonds in batches of sweet almonds, with up to 5% adulteration levels (lower levels should be tested in future studies), and that this technology can be readily used at the main steps of the production chain.
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Mandalari, Giuseppina, Myriam M. L. Grundy, Terri Grassby, Mary L. Parker, Kathryn L. Cross, Simona Chessa, Carlo Bisignano, et al. "The effects of processing and mastication on almond lipid bioaccessibility using novel methods of in vitro digestion modelling and micro-structural analysis." British Journal of Nutrition 112, no. 9 (September 15, 2014): 1521–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114514002414.
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A number of studies have demonstrated that consuming almonds increases satiety but does not result in weight gain, despite their high energy and lipid content. To understand the mechanism of almond digestion, in the present study, we investigated the bioaccessibility of lipids from masticated almonds during in vitro simulated human digestion, and determined the associated changes in cell-wall composition and cellular microstructure. The influence of processing on lipid release was assessed by using natural raw almonds (NA) and roasted almonds (RA). Masticated samples from four healthy adults (two females, two males) were exposed to a dynamic gastric model of digestion followed by simulated duodenal digestion. Between 7·8 and 11·1 % of the total lipid was released as a result of mastication, with no significant differences between the NA and RA samples. Significant digestion occurred during the in vitro gastric phase (16·4 and 15·9 %) and the in vitro duodenal phase (32·2 and 32·7 %) for the NA and RA samples, respectively. Roasting produced a smaller average particle size distribution post-mastication; however, this was not significant in terms of lipid release. Light microscopy showed major changes that occurred in the distribution of lipid in all cells after the roasting process. Further changes were observed in the surface cells of almond fragments and in fractured cells after exposure to the duodenal environment. Almond cell walls prevented lipid release from intact cells, providing a mechanism for incomplete nutrient absorption in the gut. The composition of almond cell walls was not affected by processing or simulated digestion.
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Mayanja, Ismael Kilinya, Michael C. Coates, Franz Niederholzer, and Irwin R. Donis-González. "Development of a Stockpile Heated and Ambient Air Dryer (SHAD) for Freshly Harvested Almonds." Applied Engineering in Agriculture 37, no. 3 (2021): 417–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.13031/aea.14364.
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HighlightsAlmonds are conventionally sun-dried on the orchard floor. Collection and removal of dried nuts from the orchard generates significant dust.Almonds were dried on-farm directly from the almond tree eliminating field drying.SHAD dryer uses a combination of heated and ambient air to dry almonds in a stockpile.The dryer has a SMER of 0.64 kg/kWh, MER of 1.02 kg/h, and COP of 1.33.Abstract. Dust generated by farming activities is a safety hazard to farmworkers and an environmental contaminant. During the almond (Prunus dulcis) harvest in California, dust is primarily generated by the mechanized movement of almonds disturbing the bare soil of the orchard floor, during the sun-drying, windrowing process, and as they are transferred into trucks for transport to processing facilities. Off-ground dust-less harvesting will only be achieved when the almond industry adopts feasible mechanical drying methods. Therefore, a stockpile heated and ambient air dryer (SHAD) was developed to determine the feasibility of dehydrating almonds (Var. ‘Monterey’). A stockpile containing 4,155 kg of almonds was created and almonds were dehydrated from their initial 12.6% almond kernel dry-basis moisture content (MCdb) to final MCdb of 6.04%. Drying was achieved as a combination of heated air at a temperature of 55°C in the drying plenum with airflow of 0.078 m3/s per m3 of fresh almonds. After drying, almond quality parameters were measured, including damage by molds or decay, insect injury, and presence of internal cavities. Drying energy consumption, cost, and performance indicators were also determined. The differences in MCdb between the bottom, middle, and top layers of the almond stockpile were significant (p = 0.05). Post-hoc Tuckey test was conducted which indicated that the MCdb in the top layer was significantly lower than almond MCdb in the middle and bottom layers. Results showed that damage by molds or decay, insect injury, and internal cavities were 1.81%, 0%, and 1.77%, respectively, after drying. Therefore, the overall almond quality was not compromised. The drying process cost $11.65 per tonne of the initial weight of almonds with a Specific Moisture Extraction Rate (SMER) of 0.64 kg/kWh, Moisture Extraction Rate (MER) of 1.02 kg/h, and a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 1.33. Comparison with other dryers in the literature shows that SMER and MER were within limits. However, a low COP was observed. Keywords: Dust, Energy, Postharvest, Stockpile drying, Tree nut.s
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Madan, Jagmeet, Panchali Moitra, Sharvari Desai, Sheryl Salis, Rekha Battalwar, Anushree Mehta, Rachana Kamble, et al. "Effect of Almond Consumption on Metabolic Risk Factors - Glucose, Hyperinsulinemia, Inflammatory Markers: A Randomized Controlled Trial in 16–25 year olds in Mumbai City." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 1447. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa061_075.
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Abstract Objectives A large percentage of Indian population has diabetes or is at risk of pre-diabetes. Almond consumption has shown benefits on cardio metabolic risk factors in adults. The present study explored the effect of almond consumption on determinants of metabolic dysfunction - blood glucose, insulin, selected inflammatory markers and oxidant damage in adolescents and young adults aged 16–25 years from Mumbai city. Daily almond consumption will reduce insulin levels, selected pro-inflammatory markers, improve lipid profile of 16–25 year old persons. Methods This cluster randomized trial was conducted on individuals with impaired levels of glucose (fasting glucose (5.6–6.9 mmol/L), 2 h post-glucose (7.8–11.0 mmol/L) and/or insulin (fasting insulin(≥15 mIU/ml)/glucose challenge insulin(≥80 mIU/ml). 421 individuals were selected after screening 1313 individuals. The almonds group (n = 107) consumed 56gm almonds daily for 90 days and was compared with a control group (n = 112) who consumed an iso-caloric snack for the same period. Blood samples were analysed at baseline, endline for glucose, insulin, HbA1C, LDL, HDL, TC, ox-LDL, TG, hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, adiponectin, leptin. Body fat (%), visceral fat, weight, were measured. HOMA-IR, FG: FI ratio, BMI, WHR, WHtR were calculated. Dietary intakes were assessed at baseline, endline using 24-hour recall. Results Baseline values for all measurements, macronutrient intakes did not differ significantly between the two groups. Changes in anthropometric measurements between baseline and endline were not significantly different in both groups. Percent body fat increased in both groups but was four times more in the control than the almonds group. Almond consumption significantly decreased HbA1C, total cholesterol, LDL-C, IL-6. Stimulated insulin decreased post-intervention in both groups, but was greater in almonds group. FG: FI ratio decreased in almonds group. TNF-α decreased in almonds group while it increased in control group. Conclusions The present study shows the directionality for almond consumption to reduce inflammatory markers, total, LDL cholesterol levels and HbA1C levels in adolescents and young adults who were at risk for developing diabetes. Thus, almonds can be considered as one of the food-based strategies for preventing pre-diabetes. Funding Sources Research grant from Almond Board of California.
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Henning, Susanne, Jason Li, Gail Thames, Omar Bari, Patrick Tran, Chi-Hong Tseng, David Heber, Jenny Kim, and Zhaoping Li. "Almond Consumption Increased UVB Resistance in Healthy Asian Women." Current Developments in Nutrition 5, Supplement_2 (June 2021): 319. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab037_029.
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Abstract Objectives Almonds are a rich source of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, which have antioxidant activity. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that topical application of almond oil and almond skin extract reduces UVB-induced photoaging. Ultraviolet-B (UVB) protection by oral almond consumption has not been previously studied in humans. It was the objective to investigate whether oral almond consumption can increase resistance to UVB radiation and reduce skin aging in healthy Asian women. Methods Thirty-nine female participants (18–45 years) with Fitzpatrick skin type II-IV were randomly assigned to consume either 1.5 oz of almonds or 1.8 oz of pretzels daily for 12 weeks. Minimal erythema dose (MED) was determined using a standardized protocol, which determined the minimal radiation inducing erythema on the inner arm 24 hours following UVB exposure. Facial skin texture was evaluated by two dermatologists using the Clinician's Erythema Assessment scale and Allergan Roughness scale. Facial melanin index, hydration, sebum, and erythema were determined using a cutometer. Results Women who consumed almonds, experienced a significant increase in MED from 415 ± 64 to 487 ± 59 (18.7 ± 19.2%, P = 0.006) from baseline to week 12 compared to women in the pretzel group from 415 ± 67 to 421 ± 67 (1.8 ± 11.1%). The exposure time to reach minimal erythema was also increased significantly in the almond group from 160 ± 23 to 187 ± 25 (17.5 ± 22.2%) compared to the pretzel group from 165 ± 27 to 166 ± 25 (1.7 ± 14%) (p=0.026). There were no differences noted between the groups consuming almonds versus pretzels in Allergan roughness, melanin, hydration, or sebum on facial skin. Conclusions Our findings suggest that daily oral almond consumption may lead to enhanced protection from UVB photodamage by increasing the MED. Protection from other UV radiation was not tested and therefore almond consumption will not replace other methods of sun protection such as application of sunscreen or wearing protective closing. Funding Sources Almond Board of California.
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Johnson, Elizabeth, Jelena Mustra Rakic, Jirayu Tanprasertsuk, Tammy M. Scott, Helen Rasmussen, Emily S. Mohn, and Oliver Chen. "Effects of Daily Almond Consumption for Six Months on Cognitive Measures in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized Control Trial." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 1213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa057_029.
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Abstract Objectives Cognitive impairment is a major risk factor for the development of dementia. Almonds are rich in nutrients recognized to have beneficial effects on cognitive function. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of almond consumption on cognition in elderly adults. Methods In a 6-mo single-blinded randomized controlled trial the effects of an almond intervention on cognition in healthy middle-aged to older adults were tested. Subjects were assigned to one of three groups: 1.5 oz/d almond (n = 19), 3 oz/d almond (n = 24) or 1.5 oz/d snack mix (matched for macronutrients in 3.0 oz almonds; n = 17). Dietary interviews, serum analyses for tocopherols, magnesium, oxidative status and inflammation biomarkers and cognitive function were assessed at baseline (M0), three (M3) and six (M6) months. Results At M6 serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations were increased by 8% from M0 in the 3 oz almond group (P < 0.05) and no increases were observed in the other groups. Serum markers of oxidative stress and inflammation were not significantly different at M0, M3 and M6 among the three groups. At M6 there were significant improvements in visuospatial working memory, visual memory and learning and spatial planning and working memory in subjects consuming 3 oz/d almonds. The snack mix and 1.5 oz/d almond groups showed no significant changes in these measures. Conclusions The study findings suggest that a long-term intervention with almonds may be an effective dietary strategy for preventing cognitive decline in an older population Funding Sources Almond Board of California, USDA CRIS #8050–51,000-095–02S.
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Reis, Edésio Fialho dos, Jefferson Fernando Naves Pinto, Hildeu Ferreira da Assunção, Antonio Paulino da Costa Netto, and Danielle Fabiola Pereira da Silva. "Characteristics of 137 macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata) fruit accessions from Goias, Brazil." Comunicata Scientiae 10, no. 1 (April 17, 2019): 117–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.14295/cs.v10i1.2389.
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Accessions of macaw palm fruits from the State of Goias, Brazil were characterized aiming the identification of groups with similar characteristics and indicate groups with higher agronomic potential, using multivariate tools. Fruit were harvested with completed yellow fruit bunches without whitish scores. The evaluated variables were fruit and almond length, fruit and almond diameters, fruit and dehydrated almond weight, average number of almonds, oil percentage of almond and dried fruit. The genetic diversity of populations was evaluated by Ward’s clustering method and Person´s correlation was obtained to evaluate the relative importance of each characteristic and variance analysis associated with Tukey´s test to verify the group’s effects. The studied population demonstrated great variability. The characteristics that most contributed to the variability were fruit weight and diameter and the almond´s oil percentage. Ward´s group analysis revealed six groups of similarity, being significant for all evaluated characteristics. Group VI stood out for all evaluated characteristics and group III presented the best averages for the almond´s weight and almonds and dried fruit oil percentage.
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Hunter, Stephanie, Robert Considine, and Richard Mattes. "Almond Consumption Decreases Android Fat Mass Percentage in Adults With High Android Subcutaneous Adiposity but Does Not Change HbA1c." Current Developments in Nutrition 5, Supplement_2 (June 2021): 1218. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab055_028.
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Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine if the mixed evidence of almond consumption on HbA1c stems from testing people with different body fat distributions (BFD) associated with different risks of glucose intolerance. Methods A 6-month RCT in 134 adults was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to the almond or control treatment based on their BFD. Those in the almond group consumed 0.75 oz of almonds with their breakfast and as their afternoon snack (1.5 oz almonds/day) every day, and were instructed not to consume any other nuts. Those in the control treatment continued their habitual breakfast and afternoon snack routines, but were instructed not to consume any nuts. At 0 and 6 months, body composition was measured and blood samples were collected for analyses of HbA1c, glycemia and lipemia. Appetite and dietary intake data were recorded at 0, 2, 4, and 6 months and a blood sample was obtained for compliance testing. Body weight was measured every two weeks. An intention-to-treat linear mixed model analysis was performed with Bonferroni pairwise comparisons on diet quality, energy intake, HbA1c, and body composition change values. Results Incorporating almonds into the diet increased total diet quality by 8.3 ± 2.1% over the intervention (P = 0.001). Participants consuming almonds ingested 195 ± 87 kcals/day more than participants in the control group (P = 0.027), but this did not result in differences in body weight (P > 0.3). The almond, high android subcutaneous adiposity (SAT) group had a greater reduction in android fat mass % (P = 0.038), preserved android lean mass % (P = 0.042), and tended to decrease android VAT mass (P = 0.079) compared to those in the control, high SAT group. There were no differences of HbA1c between groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions Incorporating 1.5-oz of almonds into the diet improves diet quality without promoting positive energy balance and weight gain. Long-term consumption of almonds may also improve android composition in those with high android SAT. However, testing people with different BFD does not account for the mixed evidence on almond consumption and HbA1c. Funding Sources This study was funded by the Almond Board of California.
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Khamidov, Arifjon Zhakhongirovich, Hakim Rakhmanovich Tukhtaev, Sabirjan Nigmatovich Aminov, and Bakhtigul Zhavli Kizi Azimova. "PROCESSING OF BITTER ALMOND KERNELS AND OBTAINING EXTRACTS BASED ON THEM." chemistry of plant raw material, no. 2 (June 10, 2021): 301–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.14258/jcprm.2021027775.
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Mountain almond kernels (seed) processing products are of practical interest as fungicidal, antimicrobial and antiviral substances, and also find application in medicine and cosmetics for various purposes. The composition and some technological properties of seeds of mountain almond seed (Amygdalus communis L. varietas amara DC.). Cultivated in the mountain zones (Bostanlyq) of Uzbekistan were studied. To obtain seeds from cold pressing, fatty oil was separated. The cake was degreased with organic solvents, the residues were dried and ground. Using gas-liquid chromatography, the presence of 3.24% amygdalin in the composition of crushed powder of bitter almonds was established. Spectral analysis of bitter almond powder showed the presence of Mg, P, Ca, K, Si, Sr, Fe, Mn, B, Cu and other elements. The nitrogen content of the powder determined by the Dume method was 5.72 (±0.2)%. Aqueous and ethanol extracts were obtained from bitter almond powder with a yield of 10.5 and 13.2%. Chromatographic analysis of the composition of the extracts showed the presence of 0.0029% amygdalin in aqueous and 27.2% in ethanol extracts. Protein with a yield of 35.25±0.2% was isolated from the studied powder of bitter almonds. The protein is purified by dialysis, centrifugation and identified by IR spectroscopy. The amino acid analysis of the composition of the hydrolyzate protein of bitter almonds showed the presence of glycine, aspartic acid, arginine, glutamine, alanine and other amino acids. Bitter almond seed powder, extracts and protein isolated from it are of practical interest for cosmetology practice.
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DANYLUK, MICHELLE D., THOMAS M. JONES, SHIRIN J. ABD, FRANK SCHLITT-DITTRICH, MERLE JACOBS, and LINDA J. HARRIS. "Prevalence and Amounts of Salmonella Found on Raw California Almonds." Journal of Food Protection 70, no. 4 (April 1, 2007): 820–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-70.4.820.
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Data on the prevalence and populations of pathogens in individual foods are critical to the development of product-specific quantitative microbial risk assessments. An outbreak of salmonellosis associated with the consumption of raw almonds in 2000 to 2001 provided an opportunity to evaluate the levels of Salmonella in the recalled product. Duplicate 100-g samples from each of fifty 22.7-kg boxes of recalled almonds were enriched by one of two methods. Salmonella was isolated by at least one method from 42 boxes (84% positive). The levels of Salmonella determined by a three-tube most-probable-number (MPN) method were 8.5 ± 1.3 MPN/100 g. In a subsequent study, raw almonds that arrived at almond processors were sampled from 2001 through 2005 to determine the overall prevalence and levels of Salmonella and to characterize the Salmonella isolates obtained. Aerobic plate counts, coliform counts, and MPN levels of Escherichia coli were also determined on positive samples. An isolation frequency for Salmonella of 81 (0.87% ± 0.2%) of 9,274 samples tested (100 g) was determined for raw almonds sampled from throughout California over the 5-year period. Salmonella was not isolated upon retesting in 59 of 65 positive samples. When detected, levels were 1.2 to 2.9 MPN/100 g. Of the 81 total isolates, 35 different serotypes of Salmonella were represented. Aerobic plate counts, coliform counts, and E. coli levels did not correlate with the presence of Salmonella.
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Micklander, E., L. Brimer, and S. B. Engelsen. "Noninvasive Assay for Cyanogenic Constituents in Plants by Raman Spectroscopy: Content and Distribution of Amygdalin in Bitter Almond (Prunus Amygdalus)." Applied Spectroscopy 56, no. 9 (September 2002): 1139–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1366/000370202760295368.
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The ability of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy to measure cyanogenic glycoside amygdalin was investigated using a standard addition series in which amygdalin (0–700 nmol/mg) was added to ground sweet almond. As an additional test, the method so developed, and further refined, was used to determine endogenous amygdalin in bitter almonds. Using partial least-squares regression (PLSR), the best correlation between the spectra of the standard addition series and amygdalin content exhibited a value of 0.999, while the root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) was found to be 4 nmol/mg using one principal component. The model was based on the first derivative of the aromatic C–H stretching band at 3060 cm−1. A less accurate but still excellent PLSR model could be developed on the vibrational band of the nitrile group, specific for the cyanogenic compound in the system. The best PLSR model obtained for endogenous amygdalin in 17 raw bitter almonds yielded a RMSECV = 13 nmol/mg and r = 0.937. In addition, the distribution of amygdalin in bitter almond was investigated in situ by obtaining spectra of an intact cross-section of the cotyledon of bitter almond using Raman microscopy. While amygdalin was found not to be present in measurable amounts in the center of bitter almond, the concentration increased towards the epidermis, but not linearly.
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Dikariyanto, Vita, Leanne Smith, Lucy Francis, May Robertson, Eslem Kusaslan, Molly O'Callaghan-Latham, Camille Palanche, et al. "Snacking on whole almonds for 6 weeks improves endothelial function and lowers LDL cholesterol but does not affect liver fat and other cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy adults: the ATTIS study, a randomized controlled trial." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 111, no. 6 (May 15, 2020): 1178–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa100.
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Abstract Background There is convincing evidence that daily whole almond consumption lowers blood LDL cholesterol concentrations, but effects on other cardiometabolic risk factors such as endothelial function and liver fat are still to be determined. Objectives We aimed to investigate whether isoenergetic substitution of whole almonds for control snacks with the macronutrient profile of average snack intakes, had any impact on markers of cardiometabolic health in adults aged 30–70 y at above-average risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods The study was a 6-wk randomized controlled, parallel-arm trial. Following a 2-wk run-in period consuming control snacks (mini-muffins), participants consumed either whole roasted almonds (n = 51) or control snacks (n = 56), providing 20% of daily estimated energy requirements. Endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation), liver fat (MRI/magnetic resonance spectroscopy), and secondary outcomes as markers of cardiometabolic disease risk were assessed at baseline and end point. Results Almonds, compared with control, increased endothelium-dependent vasodilation (mean difference 4.1%-units of measurement; 95% CI: 2.2, 5.9), but there were no differences in liver fat between groups. Plasma LDL cholesterol concentrations decreased in the almond group relative to control (mean difference −0.25 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.45, −0.04), but there were no group differences in triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, leptin, adiponectin, resistin, liver function enzymes, fetuin-A, body composition, pancreatic fat, intramyocellular lipids, fecal SCFAs, blood pressure, or 24-h heart rate variability. However, the long-phase heart rate variability parameter, very-low-frequency power, was increased during nighttime following the almond treatment compared with control (mean difference 337 ms2; 95% CI: 12, 661), indicating greater parasympathetic regulation. Conclusions Whole almonds consumed as snacks markedly improve endothelial function, in addition to lowering LDL cholesterol, in adults with above-average risk of CVD. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02907684.
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BOZ, Ismet, and Ahmad Jawid ABDUL KHALIQ. "Marketing Structure and Opportunities of Almonds Products in Samangan and Balkh Provinces, Afghanistan." ISPEC International Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities 5, no. 2 (June 17, 2021): 144–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.46291/ispecijsshvol5iss2pp144-164.
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The objective of the study was to identify the marketing structure and opportunities of almond products in the Samangan and Balkh provinces. The primary data were obtained from questionnaires conducted by face to face interviews with the 125 small scale almond producers and 42 intermediaries, and the secondary data collected from various sources. The collected data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric statistical methods. According to the results of the study, the average age was 45.13 years for almond farmers and 41.44 years for intermediaries. The average schooling years were 5.40 years for farmers and 9.43 years for intermediaries. While most of the farmers were elementary school graduates, the majority of the intermediaries were secondary school graduates. The strongest aspects of the almond marketing sector in the region are the experience of the farmers and their high interest in this product. The most important opportunities are the good experience of farmers, the adaptation of almonds in Balkh and Samangan, the interest of the farmer in horticulture, availability of substantial varieties of almonds, exports competitiveness of almond products of the region, and the favorable climatic conditions. The study concludes that the government and NGOs should support producers and intermediaries in developing the infrastructure of local markets. They should provide farmers with agricultural inputs at affordable prices, implement capacity building programs, inform all stakeholders on input and product prices, develop credit opportunities, and support farmers' organizations.
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AHMAD, NURUL HAWA, CEMRE ÖZTABAK, BRADLEY P. MARKS, and ELLIOT T. RYSER. "Effect of Talc as a Dry-Inoculation Carrier on Thermal Resistance of Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 in Almond Meal." Journal of Food Protection 82, no. 7 (June 18, 2019): 1110–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-18-543.
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ABSTRACTDry inoculation (DI) methods using a dry carrier have gained considerable interest for assessing thermal inactivation of Salmonella and other microorganisms in low-moisture foods. However, the effect of carrier residues on microbial resistance to heat remains largely unknown. This study aimed to determine the effect of talc powder on thermal resistance of Enterococcus faecium NRRL-B2354 (a Salmonella surrogate) in almond meal at 0.45 water activity (aw). Whole almonds were either immersed in an E. faecium suspension for wet inoculation (WI) or mixed with inoculated talc powder for DI. Two additional experimental conditions, inoculation of WI almond meal with added uninoculated talc (WT) and inoculated talc powder alone, were conducted. After WI, DI, and WT, the almonds were equilibrated to 0.45 aw, ground into a meal, and reequilibrated to 0.45 aw. Isothermal treatments were performed by heating almond meal (about 1 g) in aluminum test cells in a water bath at 80°C, with samples collected at more than five sequential time points from triplicate isothermal runs. E. faecium was enumerated by immediately cooling, diluting, and plating the samples on a nonselective or differential medium. E. faecium was more thermally resistant in DI (D80°C: 63.5 ± 1.9 min) compared with WI almond meal (D80°C: 40.5 ± 1.0 min; P < 0.05), but the resistance in WT almond meal (46.9 ± 0.9 min) was between and different from (P < 0.05) both DI and WI. E. faecium was less resistant in talc powder alone (20.6 ± 1.1 min) compared with all other almond meal samples. Overall, residual talc affected the thermal resistance of E. faecium. Therefore, when determining thermal resistance or validating commercial processes, carriers such as talc should not be used for inoculation of low-moisture foods without first knowing their impact on the target organism.HIGHLIGHTS
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De Angelis, Elisabetta, Simona Bavaro, Graziana Forte, Rosa Pilolli, and Linda Monaci. "Heat and Pressure Treatments on Almond Protein Stability and Change in Immunoreactivity after Simulated Human Digestion." Nutrients 10, no. 11 (November 5, 2018): 1679. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu10111679.
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Almond is consumed worldwide and renowned as a valuable healthy food. Despite this, it is also a potent source of allergenic proteins that can trigger several mild to life-threatening immunoreactions. Food processing proved to alter biochemical characteristics of proteins, thus affecting the respective allergenicity. In this paper, we investigated the effect of autoclaving, preceded or not by a hydration step, on the biochemical and immunological properties of almond proteins. Any variation in the stability and immunoreactivity of almond proteins extracted from the treated materials were evaluated by total protein quantification, Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and protein profiling by electrophoresis-based separation (SDS-PAGE). The sole autoclaving applied was found to weakly affect almond protein stability, despite what was observed when hydration preceded autoclaving, which resulted in a loss of approximately 70% of total protein content compared to untreated samples, and a remarkable reduction of the final immunoreactivity. The final SDS-PAGE protein pattern recorded for hydrated and autoclaved almonds disclosed significant changes. In addition, the same samples were further submitted to human-simulated gastro-intestinal (GI) digestion to evaluate potential changes induced by these processing methods on allergen digestibility. Digestion products were identified by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS/MS) analysis followed by software-based data mining, and complementary information was provided by analyzing the proteolytic fragments lower than 6 kDa in size. The autoclave-based treatment was found not to alter the allergen digestibility, whereas an increased susceptibility to proteolytic action of digestive enzymes was observed in almonds subjected to autoclaving of prehydrated almond kernels. Finally, the residual immunoreactivity of the GI-resistant peptides was in-silico investigated by bioinformatic tools. Results obtained confirm that by adopting both approaches, no epitopes associated with known allergens survived, thus demonstrating the potential effectiveness of these treatments to reduce almond allergenicity.
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Hunter, Stephanie, Robert Considine, and Richard Mattes. "The Effects of Long Term Almond Consumption in Adults with Different Body Fat Distributions on Anthropometric Characteristics and HbA1c." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 638. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa049_031.
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Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine if the mixed evidence of almond consumption on long term glycemic control stems from testing people with different body fat distributions. Methods A 6-month randomized controlled trial in 118 adults was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to the almond or control group based on their body fat distribution. Those in the almond group consumed 0.75 oz of almonds with their breakfast and as their afternoon snack (1.5 oz almonds/day) every day, and were instructed not to consume any other nuts or nut products. Those in the control group continued their habitual breakfast and afternoon snack routines, but were instructed not to consume any nuts or nut products. Anthropometric characteristics, HbA1c, and glycemic and lipemic responses to a meal tolerance test were collected at baseline and 6 months. Appetite and dietary intake data were collected at baseline, 2, 4, and 6 months as was a blood sample for compliance testing. Body weight was measured every two weeks. A preliminary linear mixed model analysis on the anthropometric characteristics and HbA1c change values and pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni correction for significant main effects was performed. Results Preliminary results indicate that there was a trend towards a difference in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass with the almond group losing more VAT mass compared to the control group in those with high truncal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) (P = 0.054). Additionally, there was a significant difference in change of VAT mass between the high SAT and high VAT (P = 0.02) and high gluteal-femoral adipose tissue (P = 0.41) control groups. There were no significant differences in any other anthropometric variables or HbA1c. Conclusions Preliminary results indicate that while almond consumption may decrease VAT mass in those with high SAT, testing people with different body fat distributions may not be why there is mixed evidence on almond consumption on long term glycemic control. Funding Sources This research is funded by the Almond Board of California.
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Luck, Gary W., Shannon Triplett, and Peter G. Spooner. "Bird use of almond plantations: implications for conservation and production." Wildlife Research 40, no. 6 (2013): 523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr13079.
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Context Farmland crops may suffer damage from native animals, but also provide a critical resource during times of food scarcity. We know little about bird use of almond crops. Aims To examine factors influencing temporal and spatial variation in the use of almond crops in north-western Victoria by bird species, including the threatened regent parrot (Polytelis anthopeplus), and to record levels of crop damage. Methods We measured bird occurrence in 15 transects during the almond-growing season of 2009/10, and 32 transects during 2010/11. Crop-damage assessments were conducted in 2010/11. Spatio-temporal variation in bird occurrence was related to seasonal factors, landscape variables and bird-control activities. Key results Significantly more regent parrots and small parrots (e.g. Platycercus elegans and Psephotus haematonotus) were recorded in almond plantations in 2009/10 than in 2010/11. Rainfall and wheat production was much higher in 2010/11, and we hypothesise that the availability of alternative foods reduced parrot dependence on almonds. Regent parrot occurrence did not differ across months within a season, but more small parrots were recorded during almond nut maturity. Regent parrots appeared to prefer locations where almond crops abutted native vegetation, but only during 2009/10, a dry year with likely limited food availability. Small parrots occurred more often in crops close to riverine vegetation and distant from farm offices. Nut damage was generally low, with only 7 of 32 transects sustaining >4% total damage, but damage assessments were conducted during a season of high rainfall, with likely greater availability of alternative food. Percentage damage was significantly correlated with the number of regent and small parrots. Shooting activity did not deter birds from using almond crops. Conclusions Parrots appear to rely more on almond crops for food when environmental conditions limit other food resources. A key strategy for managing bird impacts on almonds while supporting species conservation is to provide decoy crops of preferred native plants. Implications Rapid loss of almond plantations may lead to population declines in the threatened regent parrot if the availability of alternative food is not simultaneously increased. The role of production land uses in supporting native birds needs to be recognised by conservation management agencies.
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Fenster, Tommy L. D., Claire E. LaCanne, Jacob R. Pecenka, Ryan B. Schmid, Michael M. Bredeson, Katya M. Busenitz, Alex M. Michels, Kelton D. Welch, and Jonathan G. Lundgren. "Defining and validating regenerative farm systems using a composite of ranked agricultural practices." F1000Research 10 (February 15, 2021): 115. http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.28450.1.
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Background: Ongoing efforts attempt to define farms as regenerative to aid marketers, policymakers, farmers, etc. The approach needs to balance precision with function, and must be transparent, simple, scalable, transferable, incorruptible, and replicable. Methods: We developed practice-based scoring systems to distinguish regenerative cropland and rangeland, and validate them based on whether these scores scaled with regenerative goals on actual farm operations. Study systems included cornfields of the Upper Midwest, almond orchards of California, and rangeland systems of the Northern Plains. Response variables included soil carbon and organic matter, soil micronutrients, water infiltration rates, soil microbial communities, plant community structure, invertebrate community structure, pest populations, yields, and profit. Results: Regenerative outcomes were strongly correlated with our approach to farm scoring. Soil organic matter, fine particulate organic matter, total soil carbon, total soil nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium and sulfur all increased alongside regenerative matrix scores in one or both of the cropping systems. Water infiltration rates were significantly faster in more regenerative almond orchards. Soil bacterial biomass and Haney soil health test scores were higher as cropland incorporated more regenerative practices. Plant species diversity and biomass increased significantly with the number of regenerative practices employed on almonds and rangelands. Invertebrate species diversity and richness were positively associated with regenerative practices in corn, almonds, and rangelands, whereas pest populations and almond yields were unaffected by the number of regenerative practices. Corn yields were negatively associated with more regenerative practices, while almond yields were unaffected by the number of regenerative practices. Profit was significantly higher on more regenerative corn and almond operations. Conclusions: Our scoring system scaled positively with desired regenerative outcomes, and provides the basis for predicting ecosystem responses with minimal information about the farming operation. Natural clusters in the number of regenerative practices used can be used to distinguish regenerative and conventional operations.
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Dhillon, Jaapna, Oliver Fiehn, and Rudy Ortiz. "Almond Snacking For 8 Weeks Differentially Altered the Serum Omics Profiles of Young Adults in Comparison to a Control Snack." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 622. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa049_015.
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Abstract Objectives Almond consumption can improve cardiometabolic health. However, the mechanisms underlying those physiological changes are not well characterized. This study explored the effects of consuming a snack of almonds for 8 weeks on changes in omics profiles in young adults. Methods Newly enrolled, college students (n = 73, age: 18–19 years, BMI: 18–41 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to consume a morning snack, i.e., either almonds (2 oz./d, n = 38) or an isocaloric control snack of graham crackers (325 kcal/d, n = 35) daily for 8 weeks (Clinical trials: NCT03084003). Blood samples were collected every 4 weeks over the 8 week intervention. Metabolite abundances in the serum were quantified by hydrophilic Interaction chromatography (HILIC) quadrupole (Q) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS/MS), gas chromatography time-of-flight (GCTOF) MS, and CSH-ESI (electrospray) QTOF MS/MS. Data were reported as quantitative ion peak heights and were normalized by systematic error removal using random forest (SERRF) normalization. The baseline-adjusted means of the almond and cracker groups at week 8 were analyzed using ChemRICH which is a chemical similarity enrichment analysis software for metabolomics datasets that uses medical subject headings and Tanimoto substructure chemical similarity coefficients to cluster metabolites into non-overlapping chemical groups. Statistically significant p-values for clusters were obtained by self-contained Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests. Results Out of the 5716 features detected, 857 were identified as known compounds. ChemRICH mapped 660 of the identified metabolites to 63 nonoverlapping chemical classes, of which 2 were found to be significantly different between the almond and cracker groups (false discovery rate adjusted P value (FDR) < 0.05). Almond snacking for 8 weeks was associated with altered unsaturated lipid metabolism represented by significantly increased levels of unsaturated triglycerides and unsaturated lysophosphatidylcholines compared with cracker snacking (cluster FDR < 0.05). Conclusions These findings indicate that almond and cracker snacking for 8 weeks differentially altered lipid metabolism. Funding Sources Research supported by Almond Board of California and NIH-NIMHD.
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Shinn, Leila, Aditya Manasharamani, Yutong Li, Ruoqing Zhu, Janet Novotny, David Baer, and Hannah Holscher. "The Impact of Almond and Walnut Consumption on the Human Fecal Metabolome." Current Developments in Nutrition 5, Supplement_2 (June 2021): 1180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab054_035.
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Abstract Objectives Metabolomic studies can be utilized to generate biomarkers of food intake. Undigested food components affect the fecal microbiota and metabolome. Accordingly, we aimed to identify fecal metabolites unique to almond and walnut consumption. Methods Untargeted metabolomic analyses were completed on 66 endpoint fecal samples from two separate 3-week randomized, controlled-feeding, crossover studies examining almond (n = 30) and walnut (n = 36) consumption in adults (25–75 yr). Control diets, representative of the typical American diet, were fed at weight maintenance with 0 g/day of nuts. During the treatment arms, the base diet was scaled down to allow isocaloric inclusion of 42 g/day of almonds or walnuts. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to determine statistically significant metabolites between treatment and control groups with Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate adjustments (reported as q-values). Results Of the 318 quantifiable fecal metabolites, 42 were significantly different when comparing the treatment groups to their respective controls after adjustment (q < 0.05). Of these 42 metabolites, 9 were significantly different in both the almond and walnut treatment samples. Two metabolites, palmitoleic acid and p-cresol, were unique to almonds—the relative concentration of palmitoleic acid was higher in the almond group compared to control and p-cresol was lower in almond compared to control. Walnut treatment samples contained 31 unique metabolites, including 15 fatty acyls, the majority of which were higher in the walnut group compared to control. Conclusions Higher concentrations of fecal fatty acyls in the almond and walnut groups compared to their respective controls support previous findings that the plant cell walls of nuts reduce digestibility, therefore, limiting accessibility of intact lipids. Overall, these results reveal promise in identifying fecal biomarkers of food intake for eventual use in personalized dietary recommendations. Ongoing analyses include utilizing machine learning models to further biomarker panel development through incorporation of baseline data and metagenomic analyses. Funding Sources This research was funded by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications Faculty Fellowship.
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Barckley, Kristi K., Sandra L. Uratsu, Thomas M. Gradziel, and Abhaya M. Dandekar. "Multidimensional Analysis of S-alleles from Cross-incompatible Groups of California Almond Cultivars." Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 131, no. 5 (September 2006): 632–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/jashs.131.5.632.
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The California almond industry is the largest supplier of almonds [Prunus dulcis (Miller) D.A. Webb] in the United States and throughout the world. Self-incompatibility is a major issue in almond production as it greatly affects nut set. In this study, we determined full-length sequences for alleles Sa - Si, determined the genotypes of 44 California cultivars, and assigned the cultivars to cross-incompatibility groups (CIGs). Newly identified S-alleles led to an increase in the number of CIGs. A pairwise distance tree was constructed using the aligned amino acid sequences showing their similarity. Four pairs of alleles (Sc and Se, Sg and Sh, Sd and Sj, and Sb and Sf) showed high sequence similarity. Because of its simplicity, reproducibility, and ease of analysis, PCR is the preferred method for genotyping S-alleles.
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Trombetta, Domenico, Antonella Smeriglio, Marcella Denaro, Roberto Zagami, Mara Tomassetti, Rosa Pilolli, Elisabetta De Angelis, Linda Monaci, and Giuseppina Mandalari. "Understanding the Fate of Almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb) Oleosomes during Simulated Digestion." Nutrients 12, no. 11 (November 5, 2020): 3397. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu12113397.
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Background: Almond kernels contain phytochemicals with positive health effects in relation to heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Several studies have previously highlighted that almond cell wall encapsulation during digestion and particle size are factors associated with these benefits. In the present study, we have characterized almond oleosomes, natural oil droplets abundant in plants, and we have investigated their integrity during simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Methods: Oleosomes were visualized on the almond seed surface by imaging mass spectrometry analysis, and then characterized in terms of droplet size distribution by dynamic light scattering and protein profile by liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Results: The almond oleosomes’ distribution remained monomodal after in vitro mastication, whereas gastric and duodenal digestion led to a bimodal distribution, albeit characterized mainly by a prevalent population with a droplet size decrease related to a rearrangement of the protein profile. Oleosins, structural proteins found in plant oil bodies, persisted unchanged during simulated mastication, with the appearance of new prunin isoforms after gastric and duodenal digestion. Conclusions: The rearrangement of the protein profile could limit lipid bioaccessibility. The data improve our understanding of the behavior of almond lipids during gastrointestinal digestion, and may have implications for energy intake and satiety imparted by almonds.
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Pardo, J. E., J. M. Roncero, M. Álvarez-Ortí, A. Pardo-Giménez, R. Gómez, and A. Rabadán. "Virgin almond oil: Extraction methods and composition." Grasas y Aceites 67, no. 3 (August 24, 2016): e143. http://dx.doi.org/10.3989/gya.0993152.
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Winans, Kiara S., Ilan Macadam-Somer, Alissa Kendall, Roland Geyer, and Elias Marvinney. "Life cycle assessment of California unsweetened almond milk." International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 25, no. 3 (December 10, 2019): 577–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-019-01716-5.
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Abstract Purpose Plant-based alternatives to dairy milk have grown in popularity over the last decade. Almond milk comprises the largest share of plant-based milk in the US market and, as with so many food products, stakeholders in the supply chain are increasingly interested in understanding the environmental impacts of its production, particularly its carbon footprint and water consumption. This study undertakes a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a California unsweetened almond milk. Methods The scope of this LCA includes the production of almond milk in primary packaging at the factory gate. California produces all US almonds, which are grown under irrigated conditions. Spatially resolved modeling of almond cultivation and primary data collection from one almond milk supply chain were used to develop the LCA model. While the environmental indicators of greatest interest are global warming potential (GWP) and freshwater consumption (FWC), additional impact categories from US EPA’s TRACI assessment method are also calculated. Co-products are accounted for using economic allocation, but mass-based allocation and displacement are also tested to understand the effect of co-product allocation choices on results. Results and discussion The GWP and FWC of one 48 oz. (1.42 L) bottle of unsweetened almond milk are 0.71 kg CO2e and 175 kg of water. A total of 0.39 kg CO2e (or 55%) of the GWP is attributable to the almond milk, with the remainder attributable to packaging. Almond cultivation alone is responsible for 95% of the FWC (167 kg H2O), because of irrigation water demand. Total primary energy consumption (TPE) is estimated at 14.8 MJ. The 48 oz. (1.42 L) PET bottle containing the almond milk is the single largest contributor to TPE (42%) and GWP (35%). Using recycled PET instead of virgin PET for the bottle considerably reduces all impact indicators except for eutrophication potential. Conclusions For the supply chain studied here, packaging choices provide the most immediate opportunities for reducing impacts related to GWP and TPE, but would not result in a significant reduction in FWC because irrigation water for almond cultivation is the dominant consumer. To provide context for interpretation, average US dairy milk appears to have about 4.5 times the GWP and 1.8 times the FWC of the studied almond milk on a volumetric basis.
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Szikriszt, B., A. Hegedűs, and J. Halász. "Review of genetic diversity studies in almond (Prunus dulcis)." Acta Agronomica Hungarica 59, no. 4 (December 1, 2011): 379–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1556/aagr.59.2011.4.9.
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Almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb.] is cultivated for its nuts and is one of the oldest domesticated plants. Due to the genetically controlled self-incompatibility system that operates in this species, almond is characterized by great genetic diversity, the estimation of which has benefited from a range of marker techniques, including morphological characteristics, isoenzyme detection and molecular markers. Among the DNA-based molecular markers, simple sequence repeats (SSR) have been used most widely, although analyses have ranged from restriction fragment length polymorphism to the most recent single nucleotide polymorphism detection methods. Molecular markers have also been used to trace specific agronomic traits, e.g. self-(in)compatibility or kernel bitterness. Genetic diversity studies in almond have not revealed a direct relationship between the level of diversity and the origin of the germplasm. This might be explained by the relatively recent occurrence of self-compatibility in almond, which has not yet caused a serious loss of genetic diversity. The markers reviewed will be useful in monitoring and maintaining genetic diversity in almond breeding programmes, while others may permit marker-assisted selection for favourable agronomic traits. The cultivation, breeding and conservation of wild-growing almonds may equally benefit from the genetic diversity studies (especially those applying molecular markers).
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ALVES, Aline Medeiros, Daniela Canuto FERNANDES, Jullyana Freitas BORGES, Amanda Goulart de Oliveira SOUSA, and Maria Margareth Veloso NAVES. "Oilseeds native to the Cerrado have fatty acid profile beneficial for cardiovascular health." Revista de Nutrição 29, no. 6 (December 2016): 859–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1678-98652016000600010.
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ABSTRACT Objective: To assess and compare the fatty acid composition of edible seeds and a nut native to the Cerrado (Brazilian savannah) to that of traditional oilseeds. Methods: Baru almonds, Cerrado cashew nuts, and pequi almonds were extracted from the fruits using appropriate equipment. All edible seeds and nuts were roasted, except for the Brazil nut. The sample lipids were extracted via cold pressing. The fatty acids were esterified, and the fatty acid esters were analyzed by gas chromatography. Results: The native and traditional edible seeds and nuts contain mostly monounsaturated fatty acids (42.72 g to 63.44 g/100 g), except for the Brazil nut, which showed predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids (45.48 g/100 g). Pequi almond had the highest saturated fatty acid content (36.14 g/100 g). The fatty acids with the highest concentration were oleic and linoleic acids, and palmitic acid was also found in considerable concentration in the oilseeds studied. The Cerrado cashew nut and the traditional cashew nut have similar fatty acid profiles. As for the ratio of ω-6 to ω-3, the baru almond showed the highest ratio, 9:1, which was the closest to the recommended intake of these fatty acids. Conclusion: The fatty acid profile of the edible seeds and nuts native to the cerrado is similar to those of traditional oilseeds. We suggest the inclusion of native oilseeds in the diet aiming at reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially the baru almond and the cerrado cashew nut, due to the fact they have high ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids.
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EGLEZOS, SOFRONI, BIXING HUANG, and ED STUTTARD. "A Survey of the Bacteriological Quality of Preroasted Peanut, Almond, Cashew, Hazelnut, and Brazil Nut Kernels Received into Three Australian Nut-Processing Facilities over a Period of 3 Years." Journal of Food Protection 71, no. 2 (February 1, 2008): 402–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-71.2.402.
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There is little information about bacteriological quality of preroasted kernels available in the public domain. An investigation of the bacteriological quality of preroasted peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, and Brazil nut kernels received into three Australian nut-processing facilities was performed over a period of 3 years. A total of 836 samples were analyzed for aerobic plate count, and 921 samples for Salmonella and Escherichia coli. The 921 samples included 653 peanut, 100 cashew, 60 almond, 60 Brazil nut, and 48 hazelnut kernels. There was no E. coli detected in any sample. Salmonella subsp. II (Fremantle) was detected in one raw almond sample. The aerobic plate count percentages of positive samples with counts above the detection level of the plating method used (100 CFU/g) for peanuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, and Brazil nuts were 84, 78, 74, 50, and 45%, respectively. Of the samples containing more than this detection limit, the means were 4.5, 4.4, 3.1, 2.5, and 3.8 log CFU/g respectively. Although roasted kernel quality was not within the scope of this survey, raw microbial bioload would be expected to reduce on roasting. The bacteriological quality of preroasted peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, and Brazil nut kernels received into nut-processing facilities in Australia does not appear to suggest a public health concern.
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Bellvert, Joaquim, Karine Adeline, Shahar Baram, Lars Pierce, Blake Sanden, and David Smart. "Monitoring Crop Evapotranspiration and Crop Coefficients over an Almond and Pistachio Orchard Throughout Remote Sensing." Remote Sensing 10, no. 12 (December 10, 2018): 2001. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs10122001.
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In California, water is a perennial concern. As competition for water resources increases due to growth in population, California’s tree nut farmers are committed to improving the efficiency of water used for food production. There is an imminent need to have reliable methods that provide information about the temporal and spatial variability of crop water requirements, which allow farmers to make irrigation decisions at field scale. This study focuses on estimating the actual evapotranspiration and crop coefficients of an almond and pistachio orchard located in Central Valley (California) during an entire growing season by combining a simple crop evapotranspiration model with remote sensing data. A dataset of the vegetation index NDVI derived from Landsat-8 was used to facilitate the estimation of the basal crop coefficient (Kcb), or potential crop water use. The soil water evaporation coefficient (Ke) was measured from microlysimeters. The water stress coefficient (Ks) was derived from airborne remotely sensed canopy thermal-based methods, using seasonal regressions between the crop water stress index (CWSI) and stem water potential (Ψstem). These regressions were statistically-significant for both crops, indicating clear seasonal differences in pistachios, but not in almonds. In almonds, the estimated maximum Kcb values ranged between 1.05 to 0.90, while for pistachios, it ranged between 0.89 to 0.80. The model indicated a difference of 97 mm in transpiration over the season between both crops. Soil evaporation accounted for an average of 16% and 13% of the total actual evapotranspiration for almonds and pistachios, respectively. Verification of the model-based daily crop evapotranspiration estimates was done using eddy-covariance and surface renewal data collected in the same orchards, yielding an R2 ≥ 0.7 and average root mean square errors (RMSE) of 0.74 and 0.91 mm·day−1 for almond and pistachio, respectively. It is concluded that the combination of crop evapotranspiration models with remotely-sensed data is helpful for upscaling irrigation information from plant to field scale and thus may be used by farmers for making day-to-day irrigation management decisions.
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Chenari, A., Y. Erfanifard, M. Dehghani, and H. R. Pourghasemi. "WOODLAND MAPPING AT SINGLE-TREE LEVELS USING OBJECT-ORIENTED CLASSIFICATION OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) IMAGES." ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLII-4/W4 (September 26, 2017): 43–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xlii-4-w4-43-2017.
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Remotely sensed datasets offer a reliable means to precisely estimate biophysical characteristics of individual species sparsely distributed in open woodlands. Moreover, object-oriented classification has exhibited significant advantages over different classification methods for delineation of tree crowns and recognition of species in various types of ecosystems. However, it still is unclear if this widely-used classification method can have its advantages on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) digital images for mapping vegetation cover at single-tree levels. In this study, UAV orthoimagery was classified using object-oriented classification method for mapping a part of wild pistachio nature reserve in Zagros open woodlands, Fars Province, Iran. This research focused on recognizing two main species of the study area (i.e., wild pistachio and wild almond) and estimating their mean crown area. The orthoimage of study area was consisted of 1,076 images with spatial resolution of 3.47 cm which was georeferenced using 12 ground control points (RMSE=8 cm) gathered by real-time kinematic (RTK) method. The results showed that the UAV orthoimagery classified by object-oriented method efficiently estimated mean crown area of wild pistachios (52.09±24.67 m<sup>2</sup>) and wild almonds (3.97±1.69 m<sup>2</sup>) with no significant difference with their observed values (α=0.05). In addition, the results showed that wild pistachios (accuracy of 0.90 and precision of 0.92) and wild almonds (accuracy of 0.90 and precision of 0.89) were well recognized by image segmentation. In general, we concluded that UAV orthoimagery can efficiently produce precise biophysical data of vegetation stands at single-tree levels, which therefore is suitable for assessment and monitoring open woodlands.
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Connell, Joseph H. "Leading Edge of Plant Protection for Almond." HortTechnology 12, no. 4 (January 2002): 619–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/horttech.12.4.619.
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Almond, [Prunus dulcis (synonym Prunus amygdalus)] planted on approximately 595,000 acres (240,797 ha), is California's largest acreage tree crop. California's Central Valley accounts for nearly 100% of the U.S. domestic production of almonds. Integrated pest management (IPM) programs that integrate cultural practices and pest and disease monitoring with selective controls have improved plant protection in almond. Methods of orchard floor management and their effects must also be taken into account. Minimizing dust reduces mites while harvesting earlier and the destruction of overwintering refugia are cultural practices that reduce worm damage. Improved methods for field sampling and monitoring have reduced the need for pesticide applications while improving timing and effectiveness of needed crop protection sprays. Selective controls have further reduced the impact on nontarget species. Augmentative parasite releases have also helped manage navel orangeworm (Ameylois transitella). Effective use of new selective fungicides will require precise application timing and greater knowledge of diseases and resistance management. A better understanding of disease life cycles leading to improved monitoring of the fungal diseases, shothole (Wilsonomyces carpophilus), almond scab (Cladosporium carpophilum), and anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum) have reduced fungicide applications. Future challenges include the potential loss of effective pest control products, the need to continually develop improved utilization strategies, and maintaining economic sustainability.
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de Souza, Rávila Graziany Machado, Aline Corado Gomes, Anderson Marliere Navarro, Luiz Carlos da Cunha, Marina Alves Coelho Silva, Fernando Barbosa Junior, and João Felipe Mota. "Baru Almonds Increase the Activity of Glutathione Peroxidase in Overweight and Obese Women: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial." Nutrients 11, no. 8 (July 30, 2019): 1750. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu11081750.
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Background: Obesity-induced inflammation is frequently associated with higher oxidative stress. In vitro and experimental studies have considered baru almonds (Dipteryx alata Vog) as a legume seed with high antioxidant capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether baru almonds are capable of improving the inflammatory and antioxidant status in overweight and obese women. Methods: In a parallel-arm, randomized placebo-controlled trial, 46 overweight and obese women (age: 40 ± 11 years; body mass index: 33.3 ± 4.3) were randomly assigned to receive advice to follow a normocaloric and isoenergetic diet with placebo (PLA, n = 22) or similar advice plus 20 g baru almonds (BARU, n = 24) for 8 wk. Malondialdehyde (MDA), adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, antioxidant enzymes activities (catalase—CAT; glutathione peroxidase—GPx; superoxide dismutase—SOD), and minerals were analyzed in plasma samples. Results: At baseline, groups were similar regarding the body composition, oxidative, and inflammatory parameters. The BARU group increased the activity of GPx (+0.08 U/mg, 95%CI + 0.05 to +0.12 vs. −0.07, 95%CI −0.12 to −0.03, p < 0.01) and plasma copper concentration (p = 0.037) when compared to the PLA group. No differences were observed between groups in CAT and SOD activity or MDA and cytokines concentrations. Conclusions: Baru almond supplementation increased the GPx activity in overweight and obese women.
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Mandalari, Giuseppina, and Alan Mackie. "Almond Allergy: An Overview on Prevalence, Thresholds, Regulations and Allergen Detection." Nutrients 10, no. 11 (November 8, 2018): 1706. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu10111706.
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Food allergy has been on the increase for many years. The prevalence of allergy to different foods varies widely depending on type of food, frequency of consumption and geographic location. Data from the literature suggests that the prevalence of tree nut allergy is of the order of 1% in the general population. Almond is one such tree nut that is frequently eaten in many parts of the world and represents a potential allergenic hazard. Given the need to label products that contain allergens, a number of different methods of direct and indirect detection have been developed. However, in the absence of population-based threshold data, and given that almond allergy is rare, the sensitivity of the required detection is unknown and thus aims as low as possible. Typically, this is less than 1 ppm, which matches the thresholds that have been shown for other allergens. This review highlights the lack of quantitative data on prevalence and thresholds for almonds, which is limiting progress in consumer protection.
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Dikariyanto, Vita, Leanne Smith, Lucy Francis, May Robertson, Eslem Kusaslan, Molly O'Callaghan-Latham, Camille Palanche, et al. "Almonds Improve Endothelial Function and Lower LDL Cholesterol, But Do Not Affect Liver Fat in Adults at Moderate Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa040_019.
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Abstract Objectives The ATTIS study aimed to investigate whether substituting almonds for typical snacks (high in refined starch, free sugars and saturated fats, and low in fibre) influenced cardiometabolic risk factors. Primary outcomes, endothelial function and liver fat, were measured in healthy adults aged 30–70 y who were habitual snackers and at moderate risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). It was hypothesized that snacking on almonds would improve endothelial function and decrease liver fat. Methods Following a 2-week run-in period consuming control snacks, a 6-week parallel arm trial was conducted where participants were randomized to isoenergetic treatments: 1) control snacks (mini-muffins) replicating an average snack nutrient profile, calculated from snack foods identified in 4-d food diaries from a national dietary intake database, or 2) dry-roasted whole almonds, providing 20% estimated energy requirement. Endothelial function (via flow-mediated dilation (FMD)); abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat, and liver, muscle and pancreatic fat (via MRI/MRS); day- and night-time heart rate variability (HRV) and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP); blood biomarkers of insulin sensitivity and lipid profile; and fecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA) were assessed at baseline and endpoint. A total of 107 participants (75 F, 32 M; mean age 56.2 y, SD 10.4) were randomized and 105 subjects completed the trial. Results Almonds significantly increased FMD (mean difference 4.1%, 95% CI 2.2, 5.9), the long-phase HRV index, night-time very-low frequency power (mean difference 337 ms2, 95% CI 12, 661) and plasma oleic acid levels (mean difference 228 μmol, 95% CI 7, 449) relative to control adjusted for baseline BMI and baseline dependent outcome values, but there were no treatment differences in ABP and subcutaneous, visceral, liver, muscle and pancreatic fat. Plasma LDL cholesterol levels were significantly decreased by almonds (mean difference −0.25 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.45, −0.04), but no differences were found in other blood lipids, insulin sensitivity, nor fecal SCFA levels. Conclusions These novel findings suggest almonds may be cardioprotective by increasing availability of nitric oxide and improving cardiac autonomic function, in addition to their well-established LDL cholesterol-lowering properties. Funding Sources Almond Board of California.
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Roncero, José M., Manuel Álvarez-Ortí, Arturo Pardo-Giménez, Adrián Rabadán, and José E. Pardo. "Influence of Pressure Extraction Systems on the Performance, Quality and Composition of Virgin Almond Oil and Defatted Flours." Foods 10, no. 5 (May 11, 2021): 1049. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods10051049.
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Almond is the most cultivated nut throughout the world. The oil content of almonds in most varieties exceeds 50%, which encourages the oil extraction to be used in gastronomy or in the cosmetic industry. The preferred system to extract almond oil is by means of pressure, which leads to obtaining a virgin oil ready for consumption. In this work, almond oil has been obtained using two pressure systems: screw press (SP) and hydraulic press (HP). The performance of both methods, as well as their influence on quality and composition characteristics of the almond oils obtained are analyzed from both a physical-chemical and sensory point of view. From an industry perspective, the highest oil yield is obtained with the SP when it operates at temperatures of 100–150 °C. Regarding the quality and chemical composition, the oils obtained by HP showed better quality indices, as they are subjected to a less aggressive treatment without influence of temperature, but lower content in total sterols. Fatty acid pattern, characterized by the predominance of unsaturated fatty acids (>90%), was not affected by the pressing system. The different operational conditions tested did not greatly affect the performance or composition of the oils obtained, but sensory tests showed two clearly differentiated products, the oil obtained by HP and that obtained by SP, according to consumer preferences. The defatted almond flours obtained as a by-product of the oil extraction process are characterized by a high content in protein and fiber, and a higher content in fat when the flour is produced from the pressing cake of HP.
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D'Amico-Willman, Katherine M., Elizabeth S. Anderson, Thomas M. Gradziel, and Jonathan Fresnedo-Ramírez. "Relative Telomere Length and Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) Expression Are Associated with Age in Almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A.Webb)." Plants 10, no. 2 (January 20, 2021): 189. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants10020189.
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While all organisms age, our understanding of how aging occurs varies among species. The aging process in perennial plants is not well-defined, yet can have implications on production and yield of valuable fruit and nut crops. Almond exhibits an age-related disorder known as non-infectious bud failure (BF) that affects vegetative bud development, indirectly affecting kernel yield. This species and disorder present an opportunity to address aging in a commercially relevant and vegetatively propagated perennial crop. The hypothesis tested in this study was that relative telomere length and/or telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression can serve as biomarkers of aging in almond. Relative telomere lengths and expression of TERT, a subunit of the enzyme telomerase, were measured via qPCR methods using bud and leaf samples collected from distinct age cohorts over a two-year period. Results from this work show a marginal but significant association between both relative telomere length and TERT expression, and age, suggesting that as almonds age, telomeres shorten and TERT expression decreases. This work provides information on potential biomarkers of perennial plant aging, contributing to our knowledge of this process. In addition, these results provide opportunities to address BF in almond breeding and nursery propagation.
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Dikariyanto, Vita, Leanne Smith, May Robertson, Eslem Kusaslan, Molly O'Callaghan-Latham, Philip Chowienczyk, Sarah Berry, and Wendy Hall. "Effects of Daily Intake of Almonds on Cardiac Autonomic Functions Measured by Heart Rate Variability in Response to Acute Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa040_020.
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Abstract Objectives Stress is inversely associated with heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of cardiac autonomic function and a predictor of risk of sudden cardiac death. At times of stress, people tend to favor high sugar and fatty foods, often as snacks, with potential adverse effects on cardiometabolic health. Dietary recommendations for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention emphasize fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and nuts. There is evidence that consumption of nuts can reduce LDL cholesterol and blood pressure and help with weight management, however the impact of nuts on HRV in response to stress is unknown. The ATTIS dietary intervention study investigated the HRV response to acute stress following 6-week substitution of almonds for typical snacks high in refined starch, free sugars and saturated fats, and low in fibre. The study population comprised adults aged 30–70 y, who were habitual snack consumers, and at moderate risk of developing CVD. It was hypothesized that snacking on almonds would increase HRV during stress tasks, when HRV is expected to be reduced due to increased sympathetic activity. Methods A 6-week randomized controlled parallel trial was conducted. Participants were randomized to 1) control snacks (mini-muffins formulated to follow the average UK snack nutrient profile), or 2) dry-roasted whole almonds, both providing 20% estimated energy requirement. Supine HRV was measured (Mega Electronics Emotion Faros 180°, 2-leads wearable ECG-HRV monitor) during resting (5 min), physical stress (blood pressure monitor cuff inflation 200 mmHg, 5 min) and mental stress (Stroop colour-word test, 5 min) tasks pre- and post-intervention. A total of 105 participants (73 females and 32 males; mean age 56.2 y, SD 10.4) completed the trial. Results Almonds significantly increased the beat-to-beat HRV parameter, high-frequency power, during the mental stress test (mean difference 124 ms2; 95% CI 11, 237; P = 0.031) relative to control, indicating increased parasympathetic regulation. There were no treatment effects during resting and the physical stress task. Conclusions Snacking on whole almonds as a replacement for typical snacks increases HRV during mental stress, indicating an increased resilience in cardiac autonomic function and a novel mechanism whereby nuts may be cardioprotective. Funding Sources Almond Board of California.
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JEONG, SANGHYUP, BRADLEY P. MARKS, and MICHAEL K. JAMES. "Comparing Thermal Process Validation Methods for Salmonella Inactivation on Almond Kernels." Journal of Food Protection 80, no. 1 (December 22, 2016): 169–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-16-224.
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ABSTRACT Ongoing regulatory changes are increasing the need for reliable process validation methods for pathogen reduction processes involving low-moisture products; however, the reliability of various validation methods has not been evaluated. Therefore, the objective was to quantify accuracy and repeatability of four validation methods (two biologically based and two based on time-temperature models) for thermal pasteurization of almonds. Almond kernels were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 30 or Enterococcus faecium (NRRL B-2354) at ~108 CFU/g, equilibrated to 0.24, 0.45, 0.58, or 0.78 water activity (aw), and then heated in a pilot-scale, moist-air impingement oven (dry bulb 121, 149, or 177°C; dew point <33.0, 69.4, 81.6, or 90.6°C; vair = 2.7 m/s) to a target lethality of ~4 log. Almond surface temperatures were measured in two ways, and those temperatures were used to calculate Salmonella inactivation using a traditional (D, z) model and a modified model accounting for process humidity. Among the process validation methods, both methods based on time-temperature models had better repeatability, with replication errors approximately half those of the surrogate (E. faecium). Additionally, the modified model yielded the lowest root mean squared error in predicting Salmonella inactivation (1.1 to 1.5 log CFU/g); in contrast, E. faecium yielded a root mean squared error of 1.2 to 1.6 log CFU/g, and the traditional model yielded an unacceptably high error (3.4 to 4.4 log CFU/g). Importantly, the surrogate and modified model both yielded lethality predictions that were statistically equivalent (α = 0.05) to actual Salmonella lethality. The results demonstrate the importance of methodology, aw, and process humidity when validating thermal pasteurization processes for low-moisture foods, which should help processors select and interpret validation methods to ensure product safety.
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Adaskaveg, J. E., and R. J. Hartin. "Characterization of Colletotrichum acutatum Isolates Causing Anthracnose of Almond and Peach in California." Phytopathology® 87, no. 9 (September 1997): 979–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/phyto.1997.87.9.979.
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The causal organism responsible for the recent outbreak of almond and peach anthracnose in California was identified and characterized as Colletotrichum acutatum. Isolates of C. acutatum from almond were found to be similar to California strawberry isolates and South Carolina peach and apple isolates of C. acutatum based on conidial morphology, temperature relationships, fungicide sensitivity, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods using DNA species-specific primers. On almond, blossoms and immature or mature fruit were affected by the disease, causing direct losses of crop. On peach, the disease was observed only on mature fruit. Pathogenicity of almond and peach isolates of C. acutatum was demonstrated on wound- and nonwound-inoculated almond or peach fruit by fulfilling Koch's postulates. Conidial morphology of isolates was variable, depending on the medium or substrate used to culture the isolates. Isolates of C. acutatum from strawberry, almond, and peach were grouped together based on a similar response to temperature, with an optimal growth rate at 25°C (generally less than 10 mm/day), whereas isolates of C. gloeosporioides from citrus and papaya had an optimal growth rate at 30°C (generally greater than 10 mm/day). In fungicide disk assays, isolates of C. acutatum from strawberry, peach, and apple, as well as almond and peach isolates from California, were less sensitive to benomyl at 300, 600, or 1,200 μg/ml. In contrast, C. gloeosporioides isolates from citrus and papaya were very sensitive to benomyl at all concentrations evaluated. All isolates of both species were sensitive to captan (300, 600, or 1,200 μg/ml). Oligonucleotide primers were synthesized for C. acutatum, C. fragariae, or C. gloeosporioides using published DNA sequences from the internal transcribed spacer 1 region of ribosomal DNA. Thirty-two Colletotrichum isolates from almond fruit produced DNA products with a C. acutatum primer (CaInt-2) that matched products and approximate molecular weight of known C. acutatum isolates. No PCR products were produced with primers for C. gloeosporioides or C. fragariae. Isolates from citrus and papaya produced DNA products only with primers from C. gloeosporioides or C. fragariae. Thus, worldwide, anthracnose of almonds may be caused by either C. gloeosporioides, as previously reported, or by C. acutatum, as indicated in this study.
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Tahir, Farah Naz, Haleema Nawaz, Mirza Zeeshan Sikandar, and Syed Imran Ali Shah. "A comparative study of regular almond consumption’s effect on lipid profile in normal, Overweight and Obese adults." Professional Medical Journal 26, no. 12 (December 10, 2019): 2116–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.29309/tpmj/2019.26.12.3272.
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Objectives: Obesity is a globally pervasive health concern linked to a plethora of cardiometabolic complications such as hypertension, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia. Poor dietary proclivity contributes to dyslipidemia, however daily intake of nuts has previously been shown to improve abnormal blood lipid levels. The present study evaluated the effect of almond intake on the lipid profiles of normal, overweight and obese adults to discern which group benefits the most. Study Design: A prospective non-randomized comparative study design was employed. Setting: Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Lahore and Department of Biochemistry, Central Park Medical College, Lahore. Period: May 2018 and December 2018. Material & Methods: A total of 34 adult subjects (males and females) were recruited for the study with an age range from 21 to 60 years. Participants were categorized into normal, overweight and obese groups based on their Body Mass Index (BMI) values. Baseline fasting blood samples were drawn from each subject and stored. The subjects were then asked to consume 50g/day almonds (without peel) for 30 days after which blood samples were again collected from each subject. Both baseline and post-supplementation serum samples were subjected to lipid profile analysis. Result: Almond supplementation resulted in lowered cholesterol, LDL and VLDL levels (p-values of 0.0001, 0.001 and 0.003, respectively) in Group 1 (normal weight). Lowered cholesterol levels were also observed (p-value 0.007) in Group 2 (overweight). There was no significant change in lipid profile in Group 3 (overweight), upon supplementation. Conclusion: Regular almond supplementation offers improvement in lipid profile and such beneficial effects of almond consumption on lipid profile are more pronounced in normal weight individuals than overweight or obese ones.
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Vita, Di Stefano, Pitonzo Rosa, and Avellone Giuseppe. "Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A Reduction in Almond Samples." Journal of Food Research 3, no. 4 (May 6, 2014): 113. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jfr.v3n4p113.
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<p>The widespread contamination of food by mycotoxins may present a serious hazard to human and animal health. The gamma rays were applied to reduce ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxins B<sub>1</sub>, B<sub>2</sub>, G<sub>1</sub> and G<sub>2 </sub>(AFB<sub>1</sub>, AFB<sub>2</sub>, AFG<sub>1</sub> and AFG<sub>2</sub>) in almonds artificially contaminated. In the present study we investigated the effect of gamma irradiation dosages, ranging from 0 to 15 kGy and the reduction of mycotoxins concentration in almond samples. In order to determine the efficiency of the method, a high-performance liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection was used, the mycotoxins were extracted from almond samples and then purified with immunoaffinity columns. The maximum reduction was found at 15 kGy and it was 19.25%, 10.99%, 21.11%, 16.62%, 23.90% for AFB<sub>1</sub>, AFB<sub>2</sub>, AFG<sub>1</sub>, AFG<sub>2</sub> and OTA respectively. Results showed that gamma radiations even at 15 kGy, were not effective in completely destroying aflatoxins and ochratoxin A.</p>
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Tazi, Sanaa, Antoine Puigserver, and El Hassan Ajandouz. "A novel, fast and accurate chemiluminescence method for measuring lipoxidation in almonds and almond-based products during processing and storage." Food Chemistry 116, no. 4 (October 2009): 999–1004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.03.054.
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Marvinney, Elias, and Alissa Kendall. "A scalable and spatiotemporally resolved agricultural life cycle assessment of California almonds." International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 26, no. 6 (March 31, 2021): 1123–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-021-01891-4.
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Abstract Purpose California’s Central Valley produces more than 75% of global commercial almond supply, making the life cycle performance of almond production in California of global interest. This article describes the life cycle assessment of California almond production using a Scalable, Process-based, Agronomically Responsive Cropping System Life Cycle Assessment (SPARCS-LCA) model that includes crop responses to orchard management and modeling of California’s water supply and biomass energy infrastructure. Methods A spatially and temporally resolved LCA model was developed to reflect the regional climate, resource, and agronomic conditions across California’s Central Valley by hydrologic subregion (San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, and Tulare Lake regions). The model couples a LCA framework with region-specific data, including water supply infrastructure and economics, crop productivity response models, and dynamic co-product markets, to characterize the environmental performance of California almonds. Previous LCAs of California almond found that irrigation and management of co-products were most influential in determining life cycle CO2eq emissions and energy intensity of California almond production, and both have experienced extensive changes since previous studies due to drought and changing regulatory conditions, making them a focus of sensitivity and scenario analysis. Results and discussion Results using economic allocation show that 1 kg of hulled, brown-skin almond kernel at post-harvest facility gate causes 1.92 kg CO2eq (GWP100), 50.9 MJ energy use, and 4820 L freshwater use, with regional ranges of 2.0–2.69 kg CO2eq, 42.7–59.4 MJ, and 4540–5150 L, respectively. With a substitution approach for co-product allocation, 1 kg almond kernel results in 1.23 kg CO2eq, 18.05 MJ energy use, and 4804 L freshwater use, with regional ranges of 0.51–1.95 kg CO2eq, 3.68–36.5 MJ, and 4521–5140 L, respectively. Almond freshwater use is comparable with other nut crops in California and globally. Results showed significant variability across subregions. While the San Joaquin Valley performed best in most impact categories, the Tulare Lake region produced the lowest eutrophication impacts. Conclusion While CO2eq and energy intensity of almond production increased over previous estimates, so too did credits to the system for displacement of dairy feed. These changes result from a more comprehensive model scope and improved assumptions, as well as drought-related increases in groundwater depth and associated energy demand, and decreased utilization of biomass residues for energy recovery due to closure of bioenergy plants in California. The variation among different impact categories between subregions and over time highlight the need for spatially and temporally resolved agricultural LCA.
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Dhillon, Jaapna, Jose Godoy-Lugo, and Rudy Ortiz. "Blood Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Diet-Induced Changes in Metabolic Pathway Gene Expression." Current Developments in Nutrition 5, Supplement_2 (June 2021): 938. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab050_005.
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Abstract Objectives This study explored the effects of diet-induced (almonds vs. crackers) changes on blood transcriptome profiles of young adults. Methods Young adults (age: 18–22 years) were randomly assigned to consume either almonds (2 oz./d, n = 13) or an isocaloric control snack of graham crackers (325 kcal/d, n = 10) daily for 4 weeks. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 4 weeks after intervention. Total leukocyte RNA was extracted and sequenced. Gene expression profiling was carried out using a 3′ Tag-RNA-Seq protocol. Barcoded sequencing libraries were prepared using the QuantSeq FWD kit for multiplexed sequencing. Data were preprocessed, STAR aligned, and count tables generated using the QuantSeq FWD-UMI pipeline. Differential expression (DE) analysis was conducted on the time x diet model using the limma-voom packages in R. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis on the DE p-values was conducted using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test in R. P-values were adjusted for false discovery rate correction (FDR). Results Out of 13,018 filtered genes, 69 were differentially expressed (FDR < 0.1). Glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 2 (GOT2), diacylglycerol kinase alpha (DGKA), and glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH) genes were upregulated with almond consumption. GOT2 plays a role in amino acid metabolism and the urea and tricarboxylic acid cycles, DGKA is involved in lipid metabolism, and GCDH is involved in lysine degradation and tryptophan metabolism. Cracker consumption resulted in greater upregulation of TGF-beta activated kinase 1 gene (MAP3K7) binding protein 3 (TAB3) gene which is involved in the NF-kappaB signal transduction pathway and a greater downregulation in the immunoglobulin superfamily member 8 (IGSF8) gene. Enrichment analyses indicate gene annotations to 341 KEGG pathways. Thermogeneic and ribosomal pathways were significantly enriched (FDR < 0.1). Pathways related to oxidative phosphorylation, sphingolipid signaling, and tryptophan, propanoate, and starch and sucrose metabolism were also differentially enriched (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.3). Conclusions These findings indicate that diet (almond vs cracker) potentially alters metabolism through changes in gene transcription. The implications of these findings and associations with health and disease outcomes need to be investigated further. Funding Sources NIH
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Ferreira, Lindalva Maria de Meneses Costa, Rayanne Rocha Pereira, Fernanda Brito de Carvalho, Alberdan Silva Santos, Roseane Maria Ribeiro-Costa, and José Otávio Carréra Silva Júnior. "Green Extraction by Ultrasound, Microencapsulation by Spray Drying and Antioxidant Activity of the Tucuma Coproduct (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.) Almonds." Biomolecules 11, no. 4 (April 8, 2021): 545. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biom11040545.
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The industrial processing amazon fruits, like tucuma, generates a large amount of coproducts with large nutritional potential. Thus, this work obtained the oily extract of the tucuma almonds coproducts by green extraction using palm oil by the ultrasound method and then microencapsulated by atomization and verification of its antioxidant activity. Thermogravimetric techniques, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, moisture content, water activity were applied to characterize the microparticles. Total carotenoids were determined by UV spectroscopy and antioxidant activity was measured by 2,2′-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid and co-oxidation in the system β-carotene/linoleic acid. The oily extract and microparticle had total carotenoid contents of 3.305 mg/100 g ± 0.01 and 2.559 mg/100 g ± 0.01, respectively. The antioxidant activity assessed through the 2,2′-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid value was 584.75 μM/trolox ± 0.01 (oily extract) and 537.12 μM/trolox ± 0.01 (microparticle) were determined. In the system β-carotene/linoleic acid showed oxidation of 49.9% ± 1.8 lipophilic extract and 43.3% ± 2.3 microparticle. The results showed that the oily extract of the tucuma almond coproduct can be used as a carotenoid-rich source and microencapsuled with possible application for functional foods production.
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Daly, Matthew, Parisa Ansari, Georg Häubl, Adrian Rogers, and Kurt Brunner. "Assessing Almond and Peanut Allergens Using Commercially Available Immunoanalytical Kits and LC-MS/MS: A Case Study." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 101, no. 1 (January 1, 2018): 96–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.17-0398.
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Abstract With an ever-increasing allergic population and an emerging market for allergen-free foods, accurate detection of allergens in foods has never been more important. Although ELISA-based methods are the most widely used for detection of allergens in food, there is a need for the development of orthogonal approaches. A commercial ELISA detected a relatively high concentration of peanut and almond in an allergen-free product. However, another commercial ELISA declared a low peanut concentration and was negative for almond. Further testing using a commercial almond lateral-flow device confirmed the results from the second ELISA kit and demonstrated that the positive detection of almond was due to cross-reactivity. An MS method was used for final confirmation that the reported results were negative for both almond and peanut.
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Whitaker, T., A. Slate, J. Adams, T. Birmingham, and F. Giesbrecht. "Comparing the performance of sampling plans that use a single regulatory limit based upon total aflatoxins to sampling plans that use dual limits based upon B1 and total aflatoxins." World Mycotoxin Journal 3, no. 1 (February 1, 2010): 35–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/wmj2009.1169.
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The European Commission (EC) aflatoxin sampling plan for ready-to-eat tree nuts such as almonds requires that each of the three 10 kg laboratory samples must all test less than 2 ng/g aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and 4 ng/g total aflatoxins (AFT) for the lot to be accepted. Exporters have observed that the AFB1/AFT ratio varied greatly from sample to sample and the ratio appeared to average more than 50%. Because of the concern that dual limits associated with the EC aflatoxin sampling plans may reject more lots than similar sampling plans that use a single limit based upon total aflatoxins, studies were designed with the objectives to (a) measure the distribution of AFB1/AFT ratio values using sample test results associated with testing U.S. almond lots exported to the European Union; (b) use Monte Carlo methods to develop a model to compute the effects of using dual limits based upon AFB1 and AFT on the probability of accepting almond lots; and (c) compare the probability of accepting almond lots using the current Codex aflatoxin sampling plans for tree nuts when using single limits versus the use of dual limits. The study results showed that the mean and median among 3,257 AFB1/AFT ratio values was 87.6% and 91.9%, respectively, indicating that the distribution among the ratio values was negatively skewed. Only 31% of the 3,257 AFB1/AFT ratio values are less than the mean ratio of 87.6%. Codex aflatoxin sampling plans for tree nuts using a single limit based upon total aflatoxins had the highest probability of accepting lots at all lot concentrations when compared to the probability of accepting lots with dual limits. As the AFB1 limit decreased from 90 to 50% of the total limit, the probability of rejecting lots at all concentrations increased when compared to the Codex aflatoxin sampling plans with a single limit based upon total aflatoxins.
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LIPAN, Leontina, Lucía SÁNCHEZ RODRÍGUEZ, Jacinta COLLADO GONZÁLEZ, Esther SENDRA, Francisco BURLÓ, Francisca HERNÁNDEZ, Dan-Cristian VODNAR, and Ángel-Antonio CARBONELL BARRACHINA. "Sustainability of the Legal Endowments of Water in Almond Trees and a New Generation of High Quality Hydrosustainable Almonds." Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. Food Science and Technology 75, no. 2 (December 13, 2018): 97. http://dx.doi.org/10.15835/buasvmcn-fst:2017.0020.
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The great consumption of water and its scarcity in many areas of the world leads „irremediably” to accept that Spanish agriculture, like other Mediterranean agricultures, must adapt to the lack of this natural resource. Deficit irrigation (DI) strategies are routine practices used worldwide in order to increase net farm income by growing the crops effectiveness to use water. The importance of using this type of strategies is the fact that farmers have the opportunity not just to reduce the water consumption but also to obtain hydro sustainable products. Those are “theoretically” characterized by a high accumulation of secondary carbon metabolites in plant and a great accumulation of bioactive compounds in fruit, according to other studies already done in pistachio or table olives. As almond is the major nut crop in Mediterranean area different DI strategies are presented within this review together with their effect on the final product quality. Thus, the aim of the current review paper is to find all the necessary information about which DI strategies are the recommended to be applied in the almond crop in order to obtain high-quality fruits environmentally friendly. In addition, methods used to determine de quality and steps necessary to certify and protect this type of products are also presented.
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Faqeerzada, Mohammad Akbar, Santosh Lohumi, Geonwoo Kim, Rahul Joshi, Hoonsoo Lee, Moon Sung Kim, and Byoung-Kwan Cho. "Hyperspectral Shortwave Infrared Image Analysis for Detection of Adulterants in Almond Powder with One-Class Classification Method." Sensors 20, no. 20 (October 16, 2020): 5855. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s20205855.
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The widely used techniques for analyzing the quality of powdered food products focus on targeted detection with a low-throughput screening of samples. Owing to potentially significant health threats and large-scale adulterations, food regulatory agencies and industries require rapid and non-destructive analytical techniques for the detection of unexpected compounds present in products. Accordingly, shortwave-infrared hyperspectral imaging (SWIR-HSI) for high throughput authenticity analysis of almond powder was investigated in this study. Two different varieties of almond powder, adulterated with apricot and peanut powder at different concentrations, were imaged using the SWIR-HSI system. A one-class classifier technique, known as data-driven soft independent modeling of class analogy (DD-SIMCA), was used on collected data sets of pure and adulterated samples. A partial least square regression (PLSR) model was further developed to predict adulterant concentrations in almond powder. Classification results from DD-SIMCA yielded 100% sensitivity and 89–100% specificity for different validation sets of adulterated samples. The results obtained from the PLSR analysis yielded a high determination coefficient (R2) and low error values (<1%) for each variety of almond powder adulterated with apricot; however, a relatively higher error rates of 2.5% and 4.4% for the two varieties of almond powder adulterated with peanut powder, which indicates the performance of quantitative analysis model could vary with sample condition, such as variety, originality, etc. PLSR-based concentration mapped images visually characterized the adulterant (apricot) concentration in the almond powder. These results demonstrate that the SWIR-HSI technique combined with the one-class classifier DD-SIMCA can be used effectively for a high-throughput quality screening of almond powder regarding potential adulteration.
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Rapposelli, Emma, Maria Rigoldi, Daniela Satta, Donatella Delpiano, Sara Secci, and Andrea Porceddu. "Genetic, Phenotypic, and Commercial Characterization of an Almond Collection from Sardinia." Plants 7, no. 4 (October 15, 2018): 86. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants7040086.
Full textAbstract:
Background: Recent nutritional and medical studies have associated the regular consumption of almonds with a wide range of health benefits. As a consequence, kernel quality has become an important goal for breeding, considering not only the chemical composition conferring a specific organoleptic quality but also physical traits related to industrial processing. Methods: We characterized an almond collection from Sardinia through analysis of 13 morpho-physiological traits and eight essential oil profiles. The genetic structure of the collection was studied by analyzing the polymorphism of 11 simple sequence repeats (SSR). Results: Both commercial and phenotypic traits showed wide ranges of variation. Most genotypes were early flowering with low yield potential. Several genotypes showed moderate to high yield and very interesting oil compositions of kernels. Based on 11 SSR profiles and Bayesian clustering, the Sardinian cultivars were assigned to groups which were differentiated for several agronomic and commercial traits. Conclusions: Several cultivars showed a high kernel oil content and high oleic to linoleic content ratio. Based on morphological traits, we propose that some of the analyzed cultivars could be interesting for industrial applications. Finally, we highlight the importance of characterizing early blooming cultivars for sites which are experiencing a rise in mean temperatures due to the effects of global climate changes.