Preharvest, Postharvest, and Processing Factors Influencing the Phytochemicals and Fatty Acids of Temperate Nuts

Temperate nuts are a good source of bioactive phytochemicals and unsaturated fatty acids, and their consumption has been associated with human health benefits. Preharvest, postharvest, and processing conditions may have an impact on the fatty acids and bioactive components of temperate nuts, which may have a negative impact on their quality and shelf life. Temperate nuts’ bioactive compounds and fatty acids are greatly affected by preharvest factors, including cultivar, harvesting stage, geographic location, crop management, and weather. In addition to preharvest factors, temperate nut value-addition processes, including shelling or peeling, blanching, drying, irradiation, roasting, bleaching, pasteurization, cold plasma treatment, storage conditions, and packaging, are implicated in the alteration of the bioactive compounds and fatty acids. A comprehensive understanding of how these factors influence the valuable components’ biological activities, shelf life, and the compounds implicated is vital. Therefore, in this chapter, the influence of preharvest and postharvest factors on the bioactive phytochemicals, including tocopherols, phytosterols, polyphenols, and fatty acids such as linolenic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, of temperate nuts is discussed.