The aim of the present work was to study the
effect of hot-air drying on the quality of chestnut slices,
regarding fatty acid and vitamin E composition. Chestnut
slices of two varieties, Longal and Judia, were dried in a
tray dryer at 50 °C, for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h. Concerning
fatty acids, at beginning both varieties presented significant
different contents in C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2cc, C20:0
and C20:1, being C18:2cc the most abundant. Concerning
vitamin E, both varieties had similar γ- and δ-tocopherol
contents; however, after 10 h of drying their concentrations
decreased in Longal (19.2 and 14.4 %, respectively). It was
also in slices of Longal variety that a significant decrease
was observed in C18:0 (15.0 %), C18:1 (19.4 %), C20:0
(14.3 %) and C20:1 (11.1 %) after 10 h of drying, suggesting
this variety to be a little more heat sensible than Judia.
Even though some variation on lipid composition was
observed along drying of chestnuts, the variety showed to
have a higher effect than the drying process itself. Thus, hot
air convective drying seems to be an interesting process to
apply in the future to this nut in order to produce a healthy
snack, not causing potential losses from a nutritional point
of view.
