How to preserve nectarines

By Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)
Page last updated: 05/11/2022 | Next review date: 05/11/2024
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Author bio

Dr Anny Manrich PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology. She writes and reviews content on these topics.

Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights: 

  • Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
  • PhD in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biochemistry at the Federal University of Sao Carlos/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
  • Bachelor of Food Engineering at the University of Campinas/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany

 

“To solve a problem, global vision and multifactorial understanding are necessary. Therefore, in addition to expertise, one should seek multidisciplinary thinking connected with science and reality” – Dr Anny Manrich, PhD.

Professional Experience: 

Dr Anny Manrich’s Experience Joining the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, as soon as she completed her doctorate, 

 

Dr Anny Manrich has worked on several projects, including the more than three-year partnership project with BRF, a major food producer in Brazil. As a postdoctoral fellow. 

 

Dr Anny Manrich has also contributed to several business consultancies and research projects of the National Nanotechnology Laboratory System in areas such as food technology, fibres, films and coatings and Nanotechnology; in a very determined way, having a great team relationship, being creative and committed. 

Growing concerns about the safe introduction of nanomaterials into today’s life emphasises the need to create regulatory documentation in front of characterising, using and testing them. Dr Anny Manrich worked for two years on a characterization project for nanoscale materials, with the aim of exploring their possible health effects.

 

Despite not having specific academic training in packaging or polymeric films, Dr Anny Manrich works at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation in areas of edible and biodegradable films produced from agricultural waste and in the development of films with greater resistance to water, having articles published in renowned scientific journals, which demonstrates her multidisciplinary understanding and creativity. 

 

In addition, she worked for four years as a consultant to a food company to develop a line of snacks that are healthy and that add functional ingredients, physiologically active compounds that bring health benefits, made from fruits and vegetables, enabling diet improvement, disease prevention and reduction of nutritional deficiencies. 

Dr Anny Manrich participated as a member of the examination board for two Master’s exams and one PhD exam at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Federal University of São Carlos.

Education:

  • 2001 Bachelor in Food Engineering at the State University of Campinas, Brazil
  • 1999 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
  • 2004 Master in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
  • 2012 PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
  • 2010 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich

The main publications of Dr. Anny Manrich are:

Articles

Manrich, A., Moreira, F. K., Otoni, C. G., Lorevice, M. V., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. (2017). Hydrophobic edible films made up of tomato cutin and pectin. Carbohydrate Polymers, 164, 83-91.

Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H. A., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Correlating emulsion characteristics with the properties of active starch films loaded with lemongrass essential oil. Food Hydrocolloids, 100, 105428.

Norcino, L. B., Mendes, J. F., Natarelli, C. V. L., Manrich, A., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Pectin films loaded with copaiba oil nanoemulsions for potential use as bio-based active packaging. Food Hydrocolloids, 106, 105862.

Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization of trypsin on chitosan gels: Use of different activation protocols and comparison with other supports. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 43.1 (2008): 54-61.

Manrich, Anny; Komesu, Andrea ; Adriano, Wellington Sabino; Tardioli, Paulo Waldir ; Giordano, Raquel Lima Camargo . Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by Multipoint Covalent Attachment on Agarose and on Chitosan Supports. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, v. 161, p. 455-467, 2010.

Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Neto, A. S., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Mattoso, L. H. C., & Martins, M. A. (2019). Development and physical-chemical properties of pectin film reinforced with spent coffee grounds by continuous casting. Carbohydrate polymers, 210, 92-99..

Milessi, T. S., Kopp, W., Rojas, M. J., Manrich, A., Baptista-Neto, A., Tardioli, P. W., … & Giordano, R. L. (2016). Immobilization and stabilization of an endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis (XynA) for xylooligosaccharides (XOs) production. Catalysis Today, 259, 130-139.

Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Manrich, A., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Development, physical‐chemical properties, and photodegradation of pectin film reinforced with malt bagasse fibers by continuous casting. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 137(39), 49178.

Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Luchesi, B. R., Dantas, A. P. S., Vanderlei, R. M., … & Martins, M. A. (2021). Thermo-physical and mechanical characteristics of composites based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) e spent coffee grounds (SCG). Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 29, 2888-2900..

Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Development of quaternary nanocomposites made up of cassava starch, cocoa butter, lemongrass essential oil nanoemulsion, and brewery spent grain fibers. Journal of Food Science, 86(5), 1979-1996.

Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Manufacture and performance of peanut skin cellulose nanocrystals. Scientia Agricola, 79.

Nascimento, V. M., Manrich, A., Tardioli, P. W., de Campos Giordano, R., de Moraes Rocha, G. J., & Giordano, R. D. L. C. (2016). Alkaline pretreatment for practicable production of ethanol and xylooligosaccharides. Bioethanol, 2(1)..

Manrich, Anny, de Oliveira, J. E., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. Physicochemical and Thermal Characterization of the Spirulina platensis. J. Agric. Sci. Technol. B, v. 10, p. 298-307, 2020.

 

Book Chapter

Terra, I. A. A., Aoki, P. H., Delezuk, J. A. D. M., Martins, M. A., Manrich, A., Silva, M. J., … & Miranda, P. B. (2022). Técnicas de Caracterização de Polímeros. Nanotecnologia Aplicada a Polímeros, 614.

 

Conference Papers

Ferreira, L. F., Luvizaro, L. B., Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., Júnior, M. G., & Dias, M. V. (2017). Comparação da estabilidade de suspensões poliméricas de amido/tocoferol e quitosana/tocoferol. In: CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE POLÍMEROS, 14., 2017, Águas de Lindóia, SP.

Manrich, A., Hubinger, S. Z., & Paris, E. C. (2017). Citotoxicidade causada por nanomateriais: avaliação do micronúcleo. In: WORKSHOP DA REDE DE NANOTECNOLOGIA APLICADA AO AGRONEGÓCIO, 9., 2017, São Carlos. Anais… São Carlos: Embrapa Instrumentação, 2017. p. 655-658. 

Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by multipoint covalent attachment on Glyoxyl Agarose Support. The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2009.

 

Manrich, Anny, et al. Application of immobilized xylanase on hydrolysis of soluble wood hemicelluloses after using microwave and organosolv pre-treatments. The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2010.

 

You can view some of Dr Anny’s work below and links to her professional profile. 

 

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anny-Manrich-2  

 

Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=23103497100  

 

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Ea9qpr0AAAAJ  

 

Linkedin: https://br.linkedin.com/in/anny-manrich-20693129

 


Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)
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In this brief guide, we will answer the question “how to preserve nectarines”, and discuss the different methods used to preserve nectarines. We will also look at selecting the best nectarines for preservation.

How to preserve nectarines

Globally, leading peach and nectarine producing countries are China (14,300,000 tons), Spain (1,800,000 tons), Italy (1,250,000 tons), Greece (938,000 tons), United States (775,000 tons), and Turkey (771,000 tons). Turkey’s peach and nectarine production has increased from 430,000 tons in 2000 to 547,219 tons in 2009 and reached 771,000 tons in 2017. This production consists of nectarine (8%) and peaches (92%) (1).

Nectarines can be preserved by refrigerating, freezing, dehydrating and canning.

Nectarines are a variety of peaches characterized by smooth skin instead of the usually fuzzy skin of peaches. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants (1). 

How to store unripe nectarines

Nectarines have to be harvested when mature, but not ripe, to permit long-distance transport with minimal injuries. This stage does not necessarily imply that the product meets the maturity requirements for immediate use. Harvesting at the proper stage of maturity is essential for the maintenance of fruit quality after harvest. Stone fruits picked at the ‘well-mature stage’ normally produce sufficient ethylene to initiate ripening to assure consumer satisfaction (2).

Unripe nectarines must be stored at room temperature. It will take 2-3 days for the nectarines to ripen completely.

To speed up the ripening process, store the nectarines in a plastic or paper bag with holes cut to facilitate airflow. Place the bag at room temperature away from sunlight.

How to preserve nectarines by refrigerating

Cold storage of peaches and nectarines after harvest is necessary to minimize excessive softening, quality loss and decay and to prolong time for marketing. Storage of peaches at low, nonfreezing temperatures is limited due to the development of internal breakdown or chilling injury symptoms such as internal and external browning, flesh breakdown, woolliness, reddish discoloration, loss of ability to ripen and increased incidence of decay. Decreases in fruit flesh firmness occur at a higher rate during shelf life as the cold storage is extended (3).

Ripe nectarines can be preserved for a few days by refrigeration as the cold temperature slows down the ripening process. Ripe nectarines can be preserved for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

To refrigerate nectarines:

  • Place the nectarines in a ziplock bag or an airtight container.
  • Store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

How to preserve nectarines by freezing

The main advantage of preserving fruits by freezing is the extended usage of frozen fruits during the off-season. Additionally, frozen fruits can be transported to remote markets that cannot be accessed with fresh fruit. The preservation of fruits by freezing has clearly become one of the most important preservation methods, especially for the processing industry (juice, jam, canned, etc.), and the utilization of frozen fruit for direct consumption by consumers is less frequently employed (4).

Freezing reserves of nectarines for about 1 year (5). To preserve nectarines by freezing:

  • Wash and peel the nectarines.
  • Slice the nectarines into desired thickness.
  • Place the nectarine slices on a tray or a baking sheet and freeze them.
  • Transfer the frozen nectarine slices into a zip lock bag.
  • Squeeze out the air, label the bag and freeze and place it back in the freezer.

Frozen nectarines can be used in baking, cooking and can also be eaten on their own. 

How to preserve nectarines by dehydrating

Drying is one of the oldest and most important thermal processing techniques aimed at reducing water activity, inactivating enzymes and restrain deteriorative microbial growth (7).

Dehydrating preserves nectarines for about 1 year (6). 

Nectarines can be dehydrated by using a food dehydrator, using an oven or by sun-drying.

Using a food dehydrator is the most efficient and easiest way to dehydrate nectarines. Using a food dehydrator better preserves the nutrients in nectarines compared to using an oven or sun-drying. The only drawback of using a food dehydrator is that the process takes about 18 hours to complete.

Using an oven to dehydrate nectarines is a faster method. However, the nectarines must be closely monitored to make sure that they don’t burn.

Sun-drying is the most time-consuming method of dehydrating nectarines. For sun-drying to be effective, the temperature must be at least 30 °C. Sun-drying also results in a loss of nutrients.

To prepare the nectarines for dehydrating: 

  • Wash and peel the nectarines.
  • Cut the nectarines into halves and remove the pits.
  • Slice the nectarines into desired thickness. 
  • Soak the slices in lemon juice or citric acid. This will prevent the nectarine slices from browning.

To dehydrate nectarines using a food dehydrator:

  • Place the nectarine slices on the dehydrator tray with gaps in between the slices.
  • Dehydrate at 60 °C for 12 to 18 hours.
  • Store the dehydrated nectarines in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

To dehydrate nectarines using an oven:

  • Place the nectarine slices on baking sheets and place them in the oven.
  • Set the oven temperature to the lowest possible setting.
  • Allow the nectarines to dry for about 8 hours. Check the nectarine slices once every hour to ensure that the temperature is not too high and that the slices have not burnt.
  • Store the dehydrated nectarines in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

To dehydrate nectarines by sun-drying:

  • Spread the nectarine slices on a tray and then in sunlight until they are completely dry.
  • Store the dehydrated nectarines in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

How to preserve nectarines by canning

About 40% of peaches produced in the United States are processed into canned products, mostly halves and slices. Clingstone peaches are commonly used for commercial canning, as they are able to retain flavor and consistency. In most cases, peaches are canned within 24 hours of delivery to the processing plant, which ensures that the peaches maintain nutritional value and flavor (8).

Canning preserves nectarines for the longest time. 

If the nectarines are canned into sterile jars and processed in a water bath, they can be stored for about 2 years. If they are not processed in a water bath, they must be refrigerated and used within 2 weeks.

Nectarines are usually canned in a sugar or honey syrup. Other fruits such as blueberries and spices can also be added to enhance the flavor. There are several recipes for canning nectarines. One such recipe can be found here.

How to select the best nectarines for preservation

Most preservation methods such as dehydration and canning require the fruit to be ripe. For best results, it is recommended to purchase partially ripe fruits and allow them to ripen at home.

The ripeness of nectarines can be identified by their (9):

  • Color: Ripe nectarines range from yellow to reddish yellow while unripe nectarines are green.
  • Aroma: Unripe nectarines exude little aroma while ripe nectarines exude a rich, sweet aroma.
  • Texture: Nectarines become softer as they ripen. Over-ripe nectarine will be too soft and have bruised spots while unripe nectarines will be too hard.

Other FAQs about Fruits that you may be interested in.

6 ways to preserve fruit

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “how to preserve nectarines”, and discussed the different methods used to preserve nectarines. We also looked at selecting the best nectarines for preservation.

If you have any questions or comments, please let us know.

References

  1. Geçer, Mustafa Kenan. Biochemical content in fruits of peach and nectarine cultivars. Turkish J Agric Forest. 2020, 44, 500-505.
  2. Lavilla, T., et al. Multivariate analysis of maturity stages, including quality and aroma, in ‘Royal Glory’peaches and ‘Big Top’nectarines. J Sci Food Agri, 2002, 82, 1842-1849.
  3. ÇELİK, MURAT, AHMET ERHAN ÖZDEMİR, and ELİF ERTÜRK. Changes in some quality parameters of the perfect delight nectarine cultivar during cold storage and shelf life. Turkish j agric forest, 2006, 30, 253-260.
  4. Blanda, Giampaolo, et al. Phenolic content and antioxidant capacity versus consumer acceptance of soaked and vacuum impregnated frozen nectarines. Euro Food Res Technol, 2008, 227, 191-197.
  5. Kendall, Pat. Freezing fruits. Service in action, 1989, 9, 331. Colorado State University.
  6. Kendall, Pat, and J. Sofos. Drying fruits. Food and nutrition series. Preparation, 9, 309.
  7. Alaei, Behnam, and Reza Amiri Chayjan. Modelling of nectarine drying under near infrared? Vacuum conditions. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria, 2015, 14, 15-27.
  8. Siddiq, Muhammad, A. Liavaga, and Ibrahim Greiby. Peaches and nectarines. Handbook of fruits and fruit processing, 2012, 535-549.
  9. Farina V, Lo Bianco R, Mazzaglia A. Evaluation of Late-Maturing Peach and Nectarine Fruit Quality by Chemical, Physical, and Sensory Determinations. Agriculture, 2019, 9, 189.