Effect of Maturity on Roast Color and Descriptive Flavor of Peanuts

Florunner peanuts from five, pod‐color based, maturity classes from 1985 and 1986 crop years were screened to obtain uniform sized kernels for roast color and descriptive flavor analyses. Maturity classes were roasted to the same Hunter L value (50 ± 1) using variable roast times or roasted for the same time wherein Hunter L values increased as maturity increased. Sensory evaluation of both roast methods suggested a trend for increased intensity of “on” flavor descriptors such as roasted peanutty and sweet aromatic as peanuts mature. Intensities of “off” flavor descriptors such as painty and fruity fermented were higher in immature peanuts. Intensities of several descriptors were affected by moderate handling differences between the two crop years.