Texture of pecans measured by sensory and instrumental means

The texture of pecans (Carya illinoensis) from four cultivars (Barton, Mahan, Western and Wichita) was analyzed using sensory and instrumental methods. Sensory hardness, flexibility and crispness were rated by trained panelists. Ranking of hardness and crispness was also carried out. A Texture Analyser TA.XT2(R) was used for 50% compression, texture profile analysis (TPA), puncture and bending. Puncture and 50% compression gave best reproducibility, least variability and agreement with sensory data. The most relevant TPA parameters were cohesiveness, elasticity and fracturability. Parameters from the bending test did not indicate texture of the pecans suitably.