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Mention pili and an array of foodstuffs come to mind: glazed, roasted, caramelized, yema, tart, mazapan, candied, and a whole lot more. But before the pili nut is processed into different forms of delicacies, postharvest procedures are done to maintain its high quality.

In the Farm Primer: Postharvest Handling Guide for Pili Nuts, the steps are discussed in detail as follows: depulping, washing, drying, and storage.

In depulping, three methods are commonly used by farmers: 1) retting – the fruits are soaked in tap water for a day or two to soften the pulp; 2) Hot water treatment – fruits are submerged in warm water (about 45-75ºC) for about 10-20 minutes until the pulp becomes soft; and 3) Fermentation – fruits are placed in a sack or any container and set aside until the pulp softens.

Depulped pili fruits should be washed to remove the remnants of the fleshy pulp. Pili with shell should be washed, especially if they will be stored for months.

Sun drying is the most common practice when drying pili nuts. Experienced pili farmers and traders attest that three days during summer ensures dryness of the kernel. Other farmers sample the dried pili and shell them with a bolo. The easier it is to detach the kernel from the shell, the drier the kernel.

Pili nuts with shell are usually stored in bulk and can last even to a year if properly dried and stored. There are two ways to store pili nuts in bulk: 1) Store pili in a warehouse with wooden floors, double-walled with wood to prevent migration of moisture from concrete walls to the product; and 2) Contain pili inshell in plastic sack. Pile sacks on wooden pallets to provide good ventilation and prevent movement of moisture from the floor to the stored pili. Any of these two methods can be practiced but it is important to maintain cleanliness of the warehouse.

As to kernels, dried pili can be stored in thick transparent polyethylene bags for longer storage. Kernels with 4-4.5% moisture can last up to eight months. Its shelf life can be extended through vacuum packaging and use of benzoic acid. On the other hand, kernels stored in open containers can deteriorate within less than two months.

Incidentally, the farm primer is co-publication venture between the Bicol Consortium for Agriculture Resources Research and Development and PCARRD.

Written by Butch S. Pagcaliwagan, S&T Media Service

Source: pcarrd.dost.gv.ph