Preserving Peanut Quality Under Hermetic Storage
Peanuts travel long distances and often remain in storage for extended periods. During that time, quality loss is a persistent concern. Rising free fatty acids, flavour deterioration and mould risks
Corylus spp.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are a premium nut valued for flavor, oil quality and processing performance. Their high content of unsaturated fatty acids makes them especially sensitive to oxygen, light and pests during long-term storage and transport.
Hazelnuts from key origins such as Turkey, Italy and Spain are often stored and transported in bulk over extended periods. While nutritionally rich, their oil composition makes them prone to oxidation, acidification and rancidity when exposed to oxygen or UV light. Insects such as beetles and moths are a persistent risk, while improper dehydration can trigger mold growth. Conventional storage at room temperature may result in noticeable quality loss within weeks. Preserving hazelnuts’ sensory attributes, oil stability and processing suitability requires precise atmospheric control rather than reactive treatments.
Challenges in hazelnut preservation
Oil under threat
Hazelnut preservation is dominated by oxidative and biological risks. Oxygen exposure increases peroxide values and free fatty acids, accelerating rancidity and reducing shelf life. UV light further intensifies these reactions, particularly in kernels, leading to unpleasant taste and odor. Insect infestations are common and difficult to manage without chemical fumigation.
Moisture imbalance adds another layer of complexity. Excess humidity promotes mold development, while uncontrolled dehydration negatively affects oil yield and downstream processing, such as blanching and decoloring. Traditional storage methods struggle to maintain stable conditions over time, especially in bulk logistics. Effective preservation requires a controlled, measurable environment that protects quality without residues.
- Oxidation & rancidity
- Insect infestation
- UV light exposure
- Mold development
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The VacQPack solution for hazelnuts
Measured stability
VacQPack preserves hazelnuts using bulk-sized Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) that creates a low-oxygen, homeostatic environment inside high-barrier liners. By combining vacuum, inert gas flushing and gastight flexible packaging, VacQPack slows oxidation, stabilizes fatty acid composition and prevents insect activity without chemicals. The system also maintains controlled dehydration levels, reducing mold risk while protecting sensory quality. Proven in large-scale storage, VacQPack enables safe, long-term hazelnut preservation with extended shelf life, stable processing performance and preserved market value.
- Consistent product quality and taste
- Reduced food loss and waste
- Full control over product safety
- Optimized total cost of ownership (TCO)
- Non-chemical, organic treatment
Discover why customers like to work with us
Best practice
Learn how customers across different commodities use VacQPack as a best practice for quality protection. By applying natural MAP, they prevent insects, control moisture, and safeguard product value throughout storage and transport.
Particularly on humid and hot areas, problems like condensation, variation of moisture content, oxidation and in some cases insect infestation, are common on the difficult task of keeping the quality of soybean seeds during storage.
The refrigeration is the conventional technique for preservation, but it requires a great deal of investment on infrastructures and implies significant expenditures on energy. Besides, once the seed leaves the refrigeration mode, gets again vulnerable and enters in a rapid degradation process.
Infisght from our research expert
Marie-José
Research Expert
m.vanlitsenburg@vacqpack.com
Our research Expert Marie-José translates scientific studies into practical MAP insights, helping producers safeguard quality from origin to arrival.
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