Covered 6.00 7.00 Not edible Not edible Not edible unsealed 4.43 6.85 Not edible Not edible Not edible ice cream 3.50 6.75 Not edible Not edible Not edible cartons 1.71 6.80 Not edible Not edible Not edible ________________________________________________________________ Covered 6.00 10.45[30] Not edible Not edible Not edible unsealed 4.43 6.70 Rancid Not edible Not edible glass 3.50 5.00 Fair Not edible Not edible jars 1.71 4.50 Good Fair Not edible ________________________________________________________________ 6.00 6.15 Rancid Not edible Not edible Sealed 4.43 4.70 Fair Not edible Not edible glass 3.50 3.30 Good Good Rancid jars 1.71 1.85 Very good Very good Very good ================================================================ [Footnote 29: The cured pecan kernels had a moisture content of 4.43 at the time the tests were made. Samples with moisture contents below 4.43 per cent were oven dried at 200 deg.F for periods necessary to reach the respective moisture levels. Samples with moisture contents above 4.43 were treated in steam to obtain the desired amount of moisture.] [Footnote 30: Excessive increase in moisture content resulted in heavy molding of product.] A second series of processing and storage tests was started in December, 1940. These studies included tests of effect of moisture content, type of container, and sealing on storage qualities of Schley pecan kernels. Table III shows a portion of these tests together with the results obtained. It is pointed out that unsealed samples regained moisture and became rancid within 8 months in storage. +Summary+ Results from the foregoing experiments show that pecan kernels can be kept for nine years by drying them to about 2 per cent moisture and storing them in sealed containers. The best results were obtained by drying the kernels in an oven for about 50 minutes at 200 deg.F. The exact length of the drying period may vary somewhat with the moisture content of the undried kernels and the quantity of kernels dried at one time. The temperature of the oven could probably be reduced without affecting the drying time by using a fan for circulating the air in the oven. This method will preserve the fresh qualities of pecans for a much longer time and equally as well as such common methods as freezing and canning preserve fresh qualities of other foods. It is felt that the process offers a practical and effective method that might well be used in the home as well as in commercial plants for preserving shelled pecans for year-round use and/or for carrying over surpluses from a heavy crop year to supplement the light crops that usually follow. +Literature Cited+