STATE OF THE ART PRODUCTION LINE

The calibration process groups the raw cashew nuts into various sizes according to diameter. The processing of nuts of similar sizes during the shelling process reduces breakage and facilitates the grading of kernels.

The steaming of cashew nuts takes place in a steam boiler. This makes the shells brittle and easy to cut. Steaming concentrates the CNSL (Cashew Nut Shell Liquid) into a jelly-like fluid to reduce the corrosive effect of CNSL on shelling machines as well as workers’ hands.

The shells are removed using fully-mechanized shelling machines which cut open the shells to obtain the kernels.

Oven drying, also called thermal shock, facilitates the removal of the thin inner shell, called the testa, without breaking the kernels.

After heating and drying, the kernels undergo humidification to break the strong adhesive force between the testa layer and the kernel.

The peeling process removes the testa from the kernel. The kernels are then passed through multiple laser sorters to separate the testa and grading of fully peeled kernels. Afterwards, manual peeling is used to fully remove the testa.

Grading involves the classification of the kernels based on colour, shape and size, as per the Association of Food Industries (AFI) scheme.

After grading, the kernels are then conditioned so that they maintain a moisture content of 3.5-4% when packed. They are then passed through a foreign properties detector and infrared dryer processing to ensure maximum quality, before being packed in vacuum-sealed pouches.