INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF THE CHANGES IN SUNFLOWER SEEDS DURING THEIR STORAGE

A comparative study has been performed to examine the alterations occu rring in sunflower seeds during their storage in an air atmosphere and in a nitrogen current. Two kinds of seeds with different moisture con tents were used to examine the influence of this parameter: seeds from the Ukraine with about 5% humidity, and Spanish seeds (from the Centr al region), with about 12% humidity. The Ukrainian seeds stored in an air atmosphere were kept at 20 degrees C in a room with about 50% humi dity, while those stored In a nitrogen current were kept in the labora tory. The seeds with a high moisture content were stored in the labora tory irrespective of the storage atmosphere used. Samples of seeds wer e taken periodically, and their moisture content was analyzed as was t he acidity, p-anisidine, k(270) and k(232) values and % polar compound s of their crude oil.