This is the first comprehensive reference on pecan technology, and discusses the many factors that influence pecan quality. It presents extensive information on variety, cultural conditions, mechanization, processing, storage, prevention of spoilage, and methods for evaluating the quality of pecans.

Flavorwise and texturewise pecans are the "Queen of the Edible Nuts. " This has been verified by salters, bakers, confectioners and ice cream manufacturers in America and western Europe. Hickory nuts and macadamia nuts are close behind, but are available only in limited supply. Pecans are among the nuts highest in oil content. In general, the varieties of nuts with the highest oil content are also rich in flavor and tender in texture. Some varieties of pecans (i. e. , Schley and Curtis) have been shown to contain as much as 76% oil. The oil in pecans is highly unsaturated, which means it is desirable from a nutritional standpoint but that it is also highly susceptible to oxidation which can cause pecans to tum stale and rancid. Pecans used in confections, bakery goods, cereals, or in snacks are more subject to staleness and rancidity than most nuts because these products are often stored at ambient temperatures. For this reason, pecans are considered to be semi-perishable and are not used in some "fine" products due to their limited shelf-life. Research at the Georgia Experiment Station has shown that raw pecans or most pecan products may be held in good condition for more than 20 years if freezing is the mode of preservation. However, development of new products demands that pecans be stored at ambient temperatures for extended intervals. Pecan 'meat' is easily bruised during shelling and handling.

Traditionally perceived as a high-fat, high-calorie food best avoided or consumed only in moderation, tree nuts have come into their own. Recent epidemiological and clinical studies provide evidence that frequent nut consumption is associated with favorable plasma lipid profiles, reduced risk of coronary heart disease, certain types of cancer, stro

Inspired by the mystique of a uniquely American tree, the pecan, Oklahoma writer John Gifford set out to explore the US pecan industry, which provides 80 percent of the world’s supply of this special tree nut. What he discovered during his two-year immersion was a nut—one that’s suprisingly symbolic of America itself—that’s poised to become the next superfood and an industry that today finds itself in the most important juncture in its history. Though the US pecan belt extends from the Carolinas to California, the pecan tree, which was revered by some of our nation’s founders, has its origins in the South Central United States, where wild pecans still grow along the region’s rivers and streams, and in its floodplain forests. The pecan is the only native tree nut that has been developed into a significant agricultural crop. Though native pecans continue to figure into the 280-million-pound annual US crop, wild pecan trees face an uncertain future as worldwide demand centers on the larger and more lucrative “improved” varieties. Pecan America provides readers with a look at how the rising demand for pecans around the world is transforming the way this nut is grown, promoted, and consumed here in the United States. Along the way, Gifford explores its presence in American folk art and culture, documents the pecan industry’s quest for share of stomach in a market brimming with other tree nuts, examines the pecan’s surprising array of health benefits, and profiles some of the fascinating people who bring this food to our tables. In the end, Gifford reveals the pecan to be much more than a food, but also a cultural curiosity and even a metaphor for America itself, one whose diverse nature may be its greatest quality.

Many North American plants have characteristics that are especially promising as candidates for expanding our food supply and generating new economically competitive crops. This book is an informative analysis of the top 100 indigenous food plants of North America, focusing on those species that have achieved commercial success or have substantial market potential. The book's user-friendly format provides concise information on each plant. It examines the geography and ecology, history, economic and social importance, food and industrial uses, and the economic future of each crop.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 12th International Symposium on Automated Technology for Verification and Analysis, ATVA 2014, held in Sydney, Australia, in November 2014. The 29 revised papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 76 submissions. They show current research on theoretical and practical aspects of automated analysis, verification and synthesis by providing an international forum for interaction among the researchers in academia and industry.

The pressing need for a smarter and greener grid is obvious, but how this goal should be achieved is much less clear. This book clearly defines the environmental promise of the smart grid and describes the policies necessary for fully achieving the environmental benefits of the digital energy revolution. The United States' electrical grid is an antique. It was built to serve a 20th-century economy and designed in an era when the negative environmental impacts of electricity production were poorly understood. It must be upgraded and modernized. The proposed solution is a "smart grid"—a network of new digital technologies, equipment, and controls that can respond quickly to the public's changing energy needs by facilitating two-way communication between the utility and consumers. This book explains the environmental benefit of a smart grid, examines case studies of existing smart grids, and identifies the legal and regulatory policy hurdles that must be overcome to fully realize the smart grid's benefits. Based on six diverse organizations' experience as "early adopters" in the digital energy revolution, the authors explore how a smart electric grid offers real promise for supercharging energy efficiency, democratizing demand response, electrifying transportation, preparing for ubiquitous distributed clean energy technologies, and automating the distribution system. Against the backdrop of climate change and continuing economic uncertainty, setting a path for environmental improvement and upgrading our electric grid with new digital technologies and associated smart policies is more critical than ever before.