# Effect of boiling on quality, microstructure and flavor of fresh peanuts

**Authors:** Xuegang Huang, Zhenyuan Li, Gengjiu Zhao, Yumeng Hu, Fengying Gu, Qiang Wang, Qin Guo

PMC · DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.103632 · Food Chemistry: X · 2026-02-03

## TL;DR

This study explores how boiling affects the taste, texture, and nutritional qualities of fresh peanuts, identifying the best variety for boiling.

## Contribution

The study identifies Jihuatian 1 as the optimal peanut variety for boiling and quantifies specific changes in flavor and texture.

## Key findings

- Boiling reduces fat, sucrose, and hardness in fresh peanuts while increasing brittleness and aldehyde-type flavor compounds.
- Lipid oxidation and the Maillard reaction contribute to the development of a sweet, nutty, and floral aroma in boiled peanuts.
- Microstructural changes include cell wall rupture and cytoplasm loss, aiding nutrient release.

## Abstract

This study systematically examines changes in the nutritional composition, microstructure, and flavor profile of fresh peanuts after boiling, identifying Jihuatian 1 as the most suitable variety due to its superior quality. Boiling significantly reduced its fat (19.73%), sucrose (42.21%), and hardness (49.11%), while increasing brittleness (59.85%) and aldehyde-type flavor compounds. These changes resulted in a distinct sweet, nutty, and floral aroma. From a microscopic perspective, boiling causes damage to the surface of peanut cells, partial rupture of cell walls and loss of cytoplasm, promoting the release of nutrients. Lipid oxidation reduces the content of unsaturated fatty acids and simultaneously generates key aldehyde flavor components. The Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids further enriches the flavor. Correlation analysis revealed key relationships between raw material properties and final product texture and flavor. The findings offer theoretical and practical guidance for optimizing quality in boiled peanut processing.

•Thisstudyaimstoclarifythecharacteristicchangesoffreshpeanutsbeforeandafterboiling.•Comparedwithdifferentvarietiesoffreshpeanuts,JihuatianIhasthebestqualitycharacteristics.•Afterboiling,thealdehyde-typeflavorsubstancesinfreshpeanutsincreasedsignificantly.•Afterboiling,thehardnessoffreshpeanutsdecreasedsignificantlyandthecrispnessincreasedsignificantly.

Thisstudyaimstoclarifythecharacteristicchangesoffreshpeanutsbeforeandafterboiling.

Comparedwithdifferentvarietiesoffreshpeanuts,JihuatianIhasthebestqualitycharacteristics.

Afterboiling,thealdehyde-typeflavorsubstancesinfreshpeanutsincreasedsignificantly.

Afterboiling,thehardnessoffreshpeanutsdecreasedsignificantlyandthecrispnessincreasedsignificantly.

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** allergy (MESH:D004342)
- **Chemicals:** Sucrose (MESH:D013395), Lipid (MESH:D008055), pyrrole (MESH:D011758), hexanal (MESH:C010463), lignin (MESH:D008031), polyphenols (MESH:D059808), fructose (MESH:D005632), CO2 (MESH:D002245), C22:0 (MESH:C007547), (E,E (MESH:D004997), flavonoids (MESH:D005419), glucose (MESH:D005947), sulfuric acid (MESH:C033158), Thr (MESH:D013912), oleic acid (MESH:D019301), potassium ferrocyanide (MESH:C031835), glutaraldehyde (MESH:D005976), Lys (MESH:D008239), HS (MESH:D006859), alcohol (MESH:D000438), polyunsaturated fatty acids (MESH:D005231), disulfide (MESH:D004220), copper sulfate (MESH:D019327), hydroperoxide (MESH:D006861), 2-pentyl (-), 2, 4-decadienal (MESH:C057349), Furan (MESH:C039281), CPD (MESH:C007077), amines (MESH:D000588), starch (MESH:D013213), Phe (MESH:D010649), phenols (MESH:D010636), fatty acid (MESH:D005227), Arg (MESH:D001120), oil (MESH:D009821), acetone (MESH:D000096), 2-octanol (MESH:C067943), epoxy (MESH:D004853), Asp (MESH:D001224), potassium sulfate (MESH:C031512), amino acid (MESH:D000596), stearic acid (MESH:C031183), thiazole (MESH:D013844), vanillin (MESH:C100058), petroleum ether (MESH:C004544), Olefin (MESH:D000475), arachidic acid (MESH:C094477), genistein (MESH:D019833), Phenylethyl Alcohol (MESH:D010626), water (MESH:D014867), SPME (MESH:C056082), amides (MESH:D000577), Val (MESH:D014633), methylene blue (MESH:D008751), alpha-Linolenic acid (MESH:D017962), DVB (MESH:C037162), ethanol (MESH:D000431), Aldehydes (MESH:D000447), sodium hydroxide (MESH:D012972), Gly (MESH:D005998)
- **Species:** Cucumis sativus (cucumber, species) [taxon 3659], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Arachis hypogaea (goober, species) [taxon 3818]

## Full text

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## Figures

6 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12915249/full.md

## References

38 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12915249/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12915249