pnut pnut Peanut Science 0095-3679 0095-3679 American Peanut Research and Education Society 10.3146/i0095-3679-14-2-12 Articles Equipment and Procedures to Measure Peanut Headspace Volatiles1 J. W. Dickens , A. B. Slate , and H. E. Pattee 2 Research Leader, Agricultural Engineer, and Research Chemist, respectively, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695–7625

1Paper No. 11160 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, NC 27695–7601. The use of trade names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the United States Department of Agriculture or the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service of the products named, nor criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

 7 1987 14 2 97 100 11 2 1988 American Peanut Research and Education Society 1987 American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstract

An electronic meter was developed to measure the concentration of organic volatiles in the headspace over samples of comminuted peanuts. The meter consists of a commercially available semiconductor (Taguchi) and a temperature compensation circuit. The conductivity of the sensor increases in the presence of organic volatiles. Calibration of the meter can be made by measuring the volatiles in the headspace over known concentrations of ethyl alcohol in water. Good agreement between meter measurement of the concentration of organic volatiles in the headspace over samples of comminuted peanuts and the percent of freeze-damaged peanuts in the samples was demonstrated. Other tests with peanuts which were cured at 50 C or exposed to −1 C before curing demonstrated the meter can detect these types of objectionable flavors and indicated meter readings were not significantly affected by the moisture content of the peanuts.

 Key Words Peanuts; , alcohol; , aldehydes; , flavor; , volatiles; , meter; , Taguchi sensor