You might have purchased many packets of cashews, but do you know how the quality differs? What are the steps to get from raw nuts in a shell to delectable treats? Here, raw cashew nut processing machines hold an essential place in the intrigue of the process of turning cashew nuts into food. 

This blog will take you to every corner of raw cashew nut processing machinery. If you are a trader, marketer, or a common cashew consumption person, this blog will give you deep insights of this industry.

Raw cashew nut processing Machines—Overview:

Originally, cashew trees produce cashew nuts in a hard shell on cashew apples. This shell contains corrosive cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), making nut processing difficult. Processing removes the nut from the shell while preserving it and removing the harmful liquid.

Let's learn the stages of raw cashew nut processing.

What are the Stages of Raw Cashew Nut Processing?

The following are few crucial steps undertaken with multiple processes and specific machinery:

A. Steam Roasting/Boiling:

Steaming or boiling raw cashew nuts in a cashew boiler machine softens the cashew nuts' hard outer shell and loosens the toxic cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), making shelling easier and safer.

How It Works‍

1. Water Heating and Steam Generation:

Water is heated to produce steam in the steam boiler cooker. Electricity, diesel, or other fuels helps to fuel the boilers. Slowly, when the water boils, steam starts releasing into the cooking chamber with the cashew nuts.

2. Steaming Process: 

A sealed frying chamber or basket keeps raw cashew nuts steaming. Steam totally heats nuts. Heat softens cashew shells and swells nuts, releasing CNSL and shell. This is essential to avoid kernel damage during shelling.

3. Timing and Temperature Control: 

We carefully control steaming time and temperature. Nutty steaming takes 20–30 minutes at 90–100°C (194–212°F). The types of cashew and factors of machinery may differ timing. A precise management softens shells without overcooking nuts.

4. Post-Steaming Handling: 

Shelling nuts requires some chilling after steaming. Cooling preserves the kernel but renders the shell fragile and crackable.

B.Shelling:

The edible kernel is extracted from the steamed cashew nut. It removes the hard shell. Cashew nuts come in distinctive shape and structure. This operation demands accuracy to keep the cashew kernels intact.

The Shelling Process

1. Manual Shelling: 

Traditionally the Shelling cashew nuts was a handmade process using hand tools. Due to its low cost and simplicity, certain localities still employ this method. It requires professional labor since poor handling can damage cashew kernels or cause injury from toxic cashew nut shell fluids. 

Now, shifting towards mechanical methods makes the work faster and less laborious than manual shelling.

2. Mechanical Shelling: 

With a Cashew shelling machine, you can easily crack the shell without destroying the kernel. These machines are fed into a machine with rollers, blades, or cutting mechanisms to crack the shell.

Shelling Machine Types: 

• Drum Sheller cracks shells using a spinning and friction inside the drum tumble and break the nuts.
• Automatic Cashew Shelling Machine has rollers or blades fracture the shell while protecting the kernel.
• Less prevalent, semi automatic cashew nut cutting machine require workers to manually feed nuts into the cutter. The machine cracks the shell.

3. Kernel Separation

After shelling, fractured nut kernels and shells are separated. They can do this manually or mechanically. To avoid CNSL infection and flavor and quality loss, treat kernels carefully.

C. Drying:

The cashew nut production chain requires a cashew dryer machine to reduce kernel moisture after shelling. This technique helps preserve the nuts, extends their shelf life, and prepares them for peeling, grading, and packaging.

The purpose of drying

• Dehydrating cashew kernels to 3-5% moisture is key.
• Lowering moisture prevents mold and bacteria from deteriorating nuts and making them unsafe.
• Gently drying separates the kernel from the testa, making extraction easier.
• Reducing moisture avoids rancidity and other degradation, keeping nuts fresh during storage and transport.
• Controlled drying gives kernels the crunch and flavor consumers want.

Methods of Drying

1. Sun Drying: 

Organic sun-drying of cashew kernels is a traditional method. Due to weather, this cheap method can produce uneven drying, damage, or spoilage.

2. Mechanical Drying: 

Modern cashew processing factories use mechanical dryers for regulated drying. Warm air dryers evenly dry kernels faster than sun drying.

3. Oven Drying: 

Some facilities dry cashews in ovens. Trays of kernels are heated to gradually remove moisture. This approach controls drying conditions precisely, producing higher-quality kernels.

4. Vacuum Drying: 

This sophisticated process dries kernels at lower temperatures by reducing pressure and pressure. This approach preserves nut flavor and nutrition but is pricey and rare.

D. Peeling:

Peeling removes the testa, a thin, papery layer that covers the cashew kernel after shelling. Enhancing cashew nut appearance, quality, and marketability requires this procedure.

The Importance of Peeling

• In most cases, the kernel is tightly bound to the thin, dark testa skin. In order to achieve the desired creamy-white color in cashews, it must be removed.
• Kernels can take on a bitter flavor if the testa is not removed. Cashews taste better after peeling.
• Peeling helps processors assess kernel quality. This allows identification and treatment of discoloration, damage, and mold.

Technical Method of Peeling

1. Manual Peeling: 

Manual peeling is common in traditional processing. Workers delicately remove testa from each kernel with small, sharp tools. This method minimizes nut damage but is laborious, time-consuming, and unsuitable for large-scale operations.

2. Mechanical Peeling: 

Modern cashew processors use mechanical peelers. These machines remove testa with abrasion, vibration, or pressure. Mechanical peeling is faster and more efficient than manual methods, making it appropriate for high-volume production.

Processors also utilize steam to release testa from kernels before mechanical or manual peeling. The steam's heat and moisture help the testa separate from the kernel, decreasing kernel breaking and speeding up peeling.

3. Chemical Peeling: 

Chemical peeling loosens the testa by treating kernels with chemicals, however it's less prevalent due to health and environmental concerns. This approach can alter cashew flavor and safety, thus it's usually avoided in favor of natural methods.

E. Grade and Pack:

Grading of cashew and packing are the final steps in cashew nut production, ensuring quality and delivery. Sorting the processed cashew kernels by size, color, and quality and carefully packing them to maintain freshness during transport are the next procedures.

Cashew Grade Types: 

Where 'W' refers for "white whole" and the number reflects the number of kernels per pound, cashew nuts are graded as W-180, W-210, W-240, W-320, etc. Lower numbers imply bigger nuts. Broken or split cashews are less valuable and graded.

Cashew Nut Packaging

Preventing cashew kernel infection, moisture, and physical damage during storage and transportation requires proper packing. Also extends product shelf life.

Cashew nuts are usually packed in vacuum bags using vacuum packaging machine. Airless packing avoids oxidation and spoilage with vacuum seal.   

Tin cans preserve cashews from light, air, and moisture. Food-grade polypropylene pouches with resealable zips are another option. They're lightweight and retailable.

To reduce moisture loss, bulk buyers put cashews in polyethylene-lined woven sacks.

 Label each package with grade, weight, packing date, and expiration date. The label assures the food safety and traceability.

Keep packed cashew nuts cold and dry to retain quality. To keep nuts fresh and pest-free, temperature-controlled warehouses are utilized.

Raw Cashew Nut Processing Machine Investment

You need top-notch processing equipment to break into the cashew processing industry. These tools are vital to your business, and making the right choice can increase output and quality. Get devices that will last a long time, work well, and are easy to operate. Is the equipment scalable? Will it be able to expand alongside your business?

Wrapping up:

To become an expert cashew producer, you need to know how to use the cashew nut processing machine. These machines make processing nuts faster while keeping their flavor intact. Are you interested in the intricate process that transforms raw cashews into our beloved nuts? This will benefit from familiarizing themselves with the machinery and how it works.

With the right tools, you can make cashew nuts of the highest quality that will delight buyers and set you apart from the competition.