TECHNOLOGICAL AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF CHESTNUT (CASTANEA SATIVA MILL.) FRUITS FROM DIFFERENT SEEDLING ORCHARDS IN SLOVAKIA

Chestnut fruits produced in Slovakia are generally of small size and of lower quality because of less favourable climatic conditions and absence of breeding and selection work. To select the most prospective chestnut genotypes for further cultivation, mature fruits were collected from 23 seedling trees grown at four different localities and their technological, sensory and storability characteristics were assessed. In fresh fruits, weight of entire fruit, number and length of kernel wrinkles, weight of pericarp, weight of pellicle, weight of kernel and in boiled fruits ease of pealing were evaluated. Boiled fruit samples transformed to chestnut purée were stored for 8 months in a freezer at -18°C and then evaluated in five sensory characteristics (appearance, colour, flavour, taste and texture) by 8 testers. Samples of fresh fruit were stored in plastic bags at about 3°C and the ratio of spoiled and germinating fruits was checked after three and six months. Technological, sensory and storability characteristics differed significantly between trees within localities and between localities (except for taste and texture of chestnut purée). These two characteristics were not correctly assessed by testers (significant interaction locality x tester). Medium strong positive correlation was found between nut size and length of wrinkles and between pellicle weight and ease of peeling. Differences between localities in storability of fresh fruits were conditioned by different harvest technique. Fruit samples collected and placed into plastic bags just after release from burs had lower rate of spoiled fruits but higher rate of germinating fruits. Fruits from the early ripening types showed lower ratio of spoiled and germinated fruits than fruits of remaining trees. Three genotypes with above average characteristics will be suggested for future cultivation and use.