Akram Jahanban Esfahlan, Rana Jahanban Esfahlan, Rashid Jamei and Ali Jahanban Esfahlan
In order to study morphological, physical characteristics of almond nuts and compare the chemical content of their hulls and shells, 40 almond genotypes were selected. The fruits of these almonds were collected, their hulls and shells dried, ground and then stored in room temperature. Morphological and physical characteristics such as ease of hulling, ease of harvesting, nut shape, shell colour intensity, marking of outer shell, softness of shell, kernel colour intensity, shriveling of kernel, kernel taste, kernel size, nut and kernel weight (g), length, width and thickness (mm) were determined. Total phenolic content was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu (F–C) method by preparing methanolic extracts from these almond hulls and shells. Total protein, sugar and fat content were determined by Folin-Lowery, Dubois and Leiboritz methods, respectively. The results of this study showed that total phenolic and fat content of hulls was higher than that of shells but total protein and sugar of shells was higher than that of hulls in all Amygdalus communis L. genotypes.
