Characterization of peanut kernels as affected by harvest date and drying practices

Peanuts (Tainan no. 9 and no. 11, Spanish cv.) were harvested at 50, 60, 70, and 80 days after flowering. The peanut pods were removed from the vines and sun-dried or oven-dried or not removed from vines and sun-dried to a moisture content below 9%. The average size and weight percentage of the sized kernels (U.S. no. 1 shelled Spanish) increased as the maturity increased. Total alpha-amino nitrogen, conarachin, total soluble carbohydrate, glucose, and sucrose contents decreased significantly as the kernels matured. The kernel color (L value) during roasting increased with maturity, indicating that the average maturity of the sized kernels increased with an increase in growing period. At the same harvest date, various drying practices resulted in a variation in chemical composition and color of the kernels during roasting