Shelf‐life stability, proximate composition, fatty acid profile, and safety of organic and conventional shelled hazelnuts

BACKGROUND: Organic foods are increasingly preferred for their perceived health benefits, boosting demand for organically grown hazelnuts. However, information regarding the comparative storage stability of organic and conventional hazelnuts remains limited. This study evaluated the 12-month storage stability of organic shelled hazelnuts (OrgH) and conventional shelled hazelnuts (ConH) under vacuum packaging at room temperature in the absence of light. Before storage, pesticide residue analysis was performed, and no residues were detected in either group. RESULTS: At baseline, OrgH exhibited higher oil content and lower moisture, whereas ConH contained higher protein, ash, linoleic acid, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and higher L* and b* color values. No significant differences were observed in free fatty acids (FFAs), peroxide value (PV), aflatoxins, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total phenolic content (TPC), palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids. During storage, PV and FFAs increased in both groups, while most other parameters remained relatively stable. After 12 months, OrgH and ConH were similar (P > 0.05) in oil, protein, moisture, ash, aflatoxin, PV, TAC, and stearic acid levels. ConH maintained higher FFA, L* value, TPC, and linoleic acid, whereas OrgH retained higher VOCs, palmitic and oleic acids, a* and b* color values. Notably, OrgH showed a 1.2-fold lower final FFAs compared to ConH. CONCLUSION: Organic cultivation did not adversely affect hazelnut shelf life. Both production systems demonstrated comparable storage stability, with organic hazelnuts showing certain quality advantages, particularly lower final FFA levels. These findings indicate that organic hazelnuts can maintain storage quality comparable to conventional hazelnuts while offering specific quality advantages.