# _Applied sciences_
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Impact of \(\gamma\)-Irradiation on the Nutrients of Almonds  
Although reducing the amount of aflat in almonds or eliminating the fungi is of high importance for consumers' safety, it would be of no use if the nutritional value of almonds were to decrease. Almonds are widely consumed worldwide since they are nutrient-dense foods containing high amounts of monounsaturated fats, proteins, and vitamins (especially vitamin E). Hence, preserving their nutritional value is crucial. Consequently, the subsequent task involved examining the impact of \(\gamma\)-irradiation on the essential nutrients in almonds. Table 1 illustrates the effects of varying doses of \(\gamma\)-irradiation on the key nutrients of almond samples. The analyzed nutrients are protein, fat, and vitamin E (quantified as mg of \(\alpha\)-tocopherol per 100 g). The \(\gamma\)-irradiation doses applied were control (no irradiation), 1, 2, 4, and 8 kGy. According to our findings, there was no discernible difference (\(p>0.05\)) between the protein and fat compositions of the almond samples that were exposed to radiation and those that were not (control); the ranges were 21.23 to 19.74% for protein and 52.17 to 55.69% for fat. On the contrary, the \(\alpha\)-tocopherol concentration decreased significantly (\(p<0.05\)) from 25.97 to 17.16 mg/100 g, while the \(\gamma\)-irradiation dosage increased to 8 kGy, indicating lower antioxidant activity of the samples. Other researchers noted the same pattern in the case of almond kernels exposed to 8 kGy [33; 34] and 25 kGy [35] of \(\gamma\)-irradiation. Figure 2: Levels of aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, and G2) reduction in spiked (5 ug/kg) almond samples and after four \(\gamma\)-irradiation doses (1, 2, 4, and 8 kGy) (\(n=9\)). Each aflatoxin’s statistically significant alterations (\(p<0.05\)) are shown with small letters (a–e, for example). Table 2 displays the alterations in almond fatty acid profiles caused by \(\gamma\)-irradiation. It is evident that \(\gamma\)-irradiation had a different impact on almonds' fatty acid profile. More precisely, the samples' irradiation caused a slight rise (5-6%) in saturated fatty acids (SFAs)--that is, palmitic acid, C16:0, and stearic acid, C18:0--but this increase was not determined to be statistically significant (\(p>0.05\)). Regarding monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), there was a marginal increase (\(\sim\)6%) in the content of oleic acid (C18:1), which was not found to be statistically significant (\(p>0.05\)), but there was a statistically significant (\(p<0.05\)) increase in the content of palmitoleic acid (C16:1). Lastly, when the dosage of \(\gamma\)-irradiation increased, a statistically significant (\(p<0.05\)) drop of up to 17% was seen in the level of linoleic acid (C18:2). One possible explanation for the drop in polyunsaturated linoleic acid content could be lipid peroxidation brought on by \(\gamma\)-ray irradiation of the sample. The double bonds on the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) became saturated, increasing the MUFAs. As the dosage increased, the saturation of the double bonds also increased. Moreover, long-chain fatty acids degraded into fatty acids of smaller chains due to the oxidation that took place, resulting in the cleavage of bonds [34]. Our results are consistent with those of [PERSON] et al. [34], who discovered that \(\gamma\)-irradiation induced a slight rise in the levels of stearic acid and oleic acid, along with a decrease in the content of linoleic acid. However, it did not affect the palmitic acid content. The PUFA:SFA ratio and the MUFA:PUFA ratio are two additional critical factors for assessing the overall nutritional quality of a food product with regard to fat. The influence of fatty acids on cardiovascular health is related to the PUFA:SFA ratio. It is well recognized that polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) reduce overall serum cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [36]. Conversely, SFAs cause a rise in blood cholesterol levels.