Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600674
10/13/97

### STORING CHESTNUTS - RAW

        If  properly  stored,  chestnuts  may  be  stored in  a

    refrigerator
     for  several months.  Chestnuts dry rapidly in

    dry
    air and mold  rapidly  in  damp air.   For  refrigerator

    storage,
    first  place  the chestnuts in a closed  paper sack

    and
     leave  for  1  to  2  days  until   they  have  reached

    refrigerator
    temperature.   Then transfer  them to  a sealed

    plastic
    sack and punch about a dozen holes  in  the  plastic

    with
     a medium sized  nail.   A  good  method  for   storing

    freshly
     harvested  chestnuts in  a refrigerator is  to  use

    milk
     cartons  and  dry  peat  moss (as  it  comes  from the

    package).
      If  the chestnuts are separated by the dry  moss

    and
    the package tightly closed, the nuts should stay in good

    condition
     for several months.  Freshly dug sand can also be

    used.
     Use  sand  that  has  been  dried  in  the  sun  with

    occasional
    mixing until it is only very slightly damp.   The

    sand
    should  be cooled before use in the milk carton.   Sand

    also
     keeps chestnuts  in  good viable condition for 2 years

    by
    storing the  freshly  picked chestnuts in  sealed plastic

    bags
    and maintaining a temperature of 26 degrees  Fahrenheit

    to
    30 degrees Fahrenheit.   (This temperature range requires

    special
    refrigeration).

        If molding occurs in the refrigerator,  the nuts may be

    washed
     and/or scrubbed to remove mold, and placed  on paper

    toweling-
    with 1 or 2 paper   changes- and  then  allowed to

    room
    dry for several hours.  After drying, place  again in a

    paper
    sack in the refrigerator until they are chilled,  then

    transfer
     to a clean  plastic bag with holes punched  in it.

    If
     mold  persists  on  the  nuts  for an extended period of

    time,
     the  kernels  may become "off-color"  and  no  longer

    edible.
      If mold has been present,  any bad kernels can  be

    spotted
    by cutting the nuts in half before cooking.

##### Go To Top of File &&&&&& MSU Extension Home Page &&&&&& Main Page for this Data Base

###### This information is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. This information becomes public property upon publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise a commercial product or company. This file was generated from data base 01 on 03/09/98. Data base 01 was last revised on 10/13/97. For more information about this data base or its contents please contact wrublec@msue.msu.edu . Please read our disclaimer for important information about using our site.