The TECHNICAL PERFORMING THROUGH PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS FROM SEEDS OF TUNA IN AGROINDUSTRIAL PROCESSES Frutos de las cactáceas

Abstract

Objective: verifying of physical attributes and assessment of chemical quality from tuna’s seeds, including; seeds´ size, internal friction, external friction, performance for size reduction, sieving and electric conductivity, soluble protein, total protein, phosphorous, carbohydrates, amount of oil and minerals by utilizing Villanueva variety.

Design/methodology/approach: verify and compare the physical attributes and chemical parameters by using proved and reliable techniques, in order to explore their impacts on its future potential, when seeds are intended to agroindustrial processes, taking into account; its need for size and quality of storage space and their effect when they interact to handling apparatus and the material they are manufactured.

Results: the selected groups of 100 seeds from 4 consecutive harvests of tunas did not have differences. While for chemical analysis, seeds were milled and the revised chemical compounds showed differences between harvest years, in consequence, drought, management and crop protection affect significantly those attributes. The factors were not included into this study.

Limitations on study/implications: tuna is harvested during 4 months a year. This reduces availability of raw matter from other varieties and from other regions, in order to expand this study and for carrying out comparisons between diverse parameters.

Findings/conclusions: there were not significate differences for seeds´size (wide, large, thickness), external friction and electric conductivity, therefore, handling equipment does not need special specifications. While, for internal friction and for all chemical compounds analyzed from seeds´ flour, showed significate differences. The latter means that, it is required to homogenize these parameters by using other compounds for the agrifood processes