In order for it to be edible for humans, raw cashew nut needs to go through proper processing. A cashew processing unit can produce multiple valuable food products such as cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) and dried and roasted cashew nuts. This article explores the critical steps necessary to begin a successful cashew nut processing business.
If you reside in a place where cashews are grown, launching a processing business could be a viable option. There are two strategies to start this type of plant–semi-automatic and fully automatic. The operation consists of recovering edible kernels from the raw nut by means of mechanical processes.
You don’t need to invest a lot of money to set up a cashew processing plant. You can choose the size of your unit based on the demand and supply.
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Basics Steps to Start a Cashew Nuts Processing Business
1. Understand the Market
Cashew nuts in their raw form cannot be eaten, so it requires a proper processing process. Manual handling fails to provide high-quality products, prompting small cashew farms to search for mechanized processing units. Moreover, this kind of cashew nut possesses great potential for export to multiple different countries.
Cashew, both raw and roasted, is an in-demand FMCG product sold at most grocery stores, supermarkets, and malls. Additionally, bakeries, confectioners, hotels, sweatshops, and restaurants are the main bulk purchasers of cashew.
2. Learn the Methods of Making Cashew Nuts
To decrease the number of cracked kernels, raw nuts must first be graded. To prepare the nuts, water must be sprinkled over them and kept wet for a period of 24 to 48 hours.
Most often, it is requisite to toast the nuts in order to make their shell frail and facilitate the removal of the kernel. Common techniques of toasting include drum roasting, oil bath roasting, and steaming.
In drum roasting, nuts are fed into a heated rotating drum which charring the shells. The heat is sustained by burning CNSL released from the nuts as they roast. This process usually takes 3-5 minutes.
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CNSL oil bath roasting is an old-fashioned technique that involves submerging unprocessed nuts in hot CNSL oil for 1-3 minutes, then moving them with a screw or conveyer belt at temperatures of 190-200°C.
The roasting unit includes a rectangular vessel of 60-90 cm width and 90 cm depth with a flat bottom. The entire device is powered by used
The process includes moisture conditioning, roasting, shelling, kernel drying, peeling, grading, and packing. Here are the details of each step:
- Â Shelling
In the majority of facilities, roasted nuts are shelled manually; 8 hours lead to 15-20 kg of totally intact kernels. Mechanized shelling can also be employed in which the outer shell is cut and a sharp-pointed implement is used to scoop out the kernel. 14-22 kg of kernels can be collected by an individual worker using this technique.
The cons of handling nuts are that they carry CNSL, which contaminates the kernels, and their varying sizes can lead to small-cut injuries on the hands.
- Drying:
Start by drying the kernels after they are removed from their shells in order to reduce moisture content and remove the testa. The Burma dryer with wire
- Â Peeling
Peeling involves taking away the testa from the kernels. Once removed from the dryer, the kernels are allowed to cool for a period of 24-48 hours in order for them to become absorbed with moisture. A sharp bamboo stick is what is used to get rid of the testa. The average capacity for peeling is usually 7-10 kg/head.
- Grading and Conditioning:
In order to be compliant with Government regulations, you must sort and grade the kernels based on size and color. You should also condition them before packaging to prevent breakage in transit. Keeping the moisture content under 5% is also essential to avoid microbial and oxidative spoilage.
- Packing:
Cashew nuts become rotten quickly and must be kept in packages that allow the permeation of oxygen and moisture. To protect them, they are usually packed in tin containers that have had the air removed and replaced with carbon dioxide.
To cut down on packaging costs, a modern packaging machine with N-gas infusion or molded vacuum packaging should be used to pack cashews.
- Cashew Apple Processing
To start, scrub the ripe cashew apples in water. Extract the juice with a screw press or by manual pressing. Expect to get about 50-60% crude juice having 9-10% soluble solids uniformly.
Moreover, you can take out tannins found in the juice by combining it with gelatin (0.5g/kg of juice), polyvinylpyrrolidone (1.4 g/kg of juice), or rice gruel (1.25 ml/kg of juice). Allow it to settle and separate the clear liquid afterward.
If you’re making rice gruel, repeat the process. Raw juice can be used in syrup, squash, ready-to-drink beverages, vinegar, wine, and liquor. To maintain its freshness, sodium benzoate (0.7 g/kg) and citric acid (5 g/kg) should be added with a clarifying agent.
Processing cashew nut shells to produce liquid.
CNSL, or Cashew nut shell liquid, is a naturally occurring phenol found in the soft internal part of their shells. It has a thick, gooey, or balmy texture and its hue can vary from pale yellow to dark brown. In addition, CNSL has acrid flavoring as well as caustic properties.
Boasting 90% anacardic acid, fresh CNSL can be converted into cardanol upon being heated. The rest 10%, known as cardol, is mainly responsible for its caustic nature. Additionally, this shell-derived by-product is collected during nut processing.
One of the most popular methods of extraction is expelling, but you can also use hot oil, a kiln, or solvent extraction.
Around 7 kg of crude oil can be taken from a hundred kg shell. Meanwhile, CNSL is an extremely useful industrial material. It can be utilized to manufacture resins, detergents, insecticides, dyes, antioxidants in motor oils, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, and other products.
Industrial products like cashew lacquer, insulating varnishes, electrical windings, and CNSL-impregnated electrical conductors are produced using a combination of CSNL and formaldehyde.
3. Create a Cashew Nuts Processing Business Plan
If you want to start a successful cashew nut processing business, it is important to have a well-written business plan. You can find free templates online to write your own plan, but hiring a professional is highly recommended if you need to apply for funding.
4. Arrange Finance
Constructing a cashew nut processing unit requires a significant investment in land, building, machinery, equipment, and civil construction works. To ensure the proper functioning of the unit, you should have a stockpile of raw cashew nuts for at least three to six months.
The preparation of a business plan is essential to obtain the finances required to start up a unit. This plan will help you convince potential investors.
5. Choosing the Location for Cashew Nuts Processing Business
When beginning on a limited basis, an area of roughly 600 square meters should suffice. However, you must make certain that there is open land for drying purposes.
If the area is conveniently located by an existing market, then the success of the venture will be improved. The acquisition of raw cashew nuts is another component to bear in mind.
Being located close to a cashew-producing area is advantageous. If you are bringing in raw cashews from other countries, such as Vietnam or African nations, your factory’s proximity to the port will dramatically decrease transportation costs.
6. Craft a Marketing Plan for Selling Processed Cashews
Worldwide, the demand for cashew nuts is vast. This product has astronomical export potential. To ensure that your goods make it to many countries, you must develop a comprehensive marketing plan.
Register your firm in prominent B2B marketplaces like Alibaba, Amazon, and eBay and detail your products therein. Creating a small web store is an economical way of connecting with a broader customer base.
Developing a successful cashew nuts processing business requires careful strategic planning and distribution strategies, as well as attention to quality control, which is particularly important in the international market.
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