Marrone del Mugello PGI: nutritional and organoleptic quality of European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.).

European chestnut has been cultivated in the Mugello territory (Tuscany) since the period of the Roman Empire. Marrone del Mugello chestnut was awarded PGI recognition (Protected Geographical Indication) for its typical natural and biological characteristics with EC Regulation n.1263/96. This paper reports the main results obtained after four years of evaluation of several samples of Marrone del Mugello PGI collected in the area of the Protected Geographical Indication, by means of chemical and sensorial tests and taking into account the complexity of compounds. The analysed samples included fresh nuts, fresh cured nuts, dried nuts and flour. Curing is a preservation process that consists in pouring chestnuts in water for almost seven days. The drying process is done according to the traditional method in special drying-houses ("metati") and takes about 40 days by warming up to 35-40°C the chestnuts. The dried nut is separated mechanically from shell and episperm and it could then be marketed as whole dried nut or milled to obtain flour. Macronutrients, microelements, vitamins and antioxidants (especially biophenols and tocopherols) were chemically analysed to underline the nutritional qualities of the fruit. Chemical analysis reveals high nutritional value and healthy compounds, justifying Marrone del Mugello PGI as part of the Mediterranean diet. Sensory analysis, with a specific Panel Test by trained assessors, provides a qualitative and quantitative characterization of Marrone del Mugello PGI taste and flavour. A preliminary investigation of the aroma compounds of chestnut flour was also carried out using an HS-SPME/GC-MS method.