Our company specializes in taking out  cashew nut kernels intact from the shell and grading them carefully to superior  standards required by top food companies all over the world.

The  un-shelled nut is steamed to soften the shell and carefully cut open. The kernel is dried to loosen the skin which is then peeled off. Whole kernels are graded by size and color. Pieces are chopped into required sizes. After final QC including metal detection, they are packed in vacuum for freshness.

Our  customers use cashews as ingredients in mixed nuts, trail mixes, chocolates, cakes, ice-cream, candy and various fine foods.

Steaming : The in-shell cashews are steamed under pressure to  soften the shell. This causes the cashews inside to become loose and easier to  remove in time.

Shelling : Each cashew shell is split open longitudinally and the  cashew inside is immediately taken out by hand.

Drying : The skin on cashews is dried in an owen at low heat for a few hours to loosen the skin.

Peeling : The skin  of each cashew is removed by hand and the cashew is simultaneously visually  graded according to quality.

Grading : The whole cashew kernels are individually graded by hand according to count per pound.

Quality Inspection : The cashews of each grade are inspected according to the present   quality standards for that grade.

Quality Control : Our cashews are then put through a set of quality assurance measures heating  in an oven, metal detection, dust aspiration and handpicking conveyor.

Packing : Our cashews are packed in 50-pound (22.68 kg) multilayer barrier pouches in a  modified atmosphere of low oxygen and high carbon dioxide and nitrogen. These pouches are placed one each in a carton.

Manufacturing Plant

The raw  nuts purchased from the market or imported are dried in the yards by exposing the nuts to heat of the sun.The moisture content of raw nuts is thus removed and  the rawnuts are packed in gunny bags of 80 kgs each and stored in godowns.

The  rawnuts are taken for process from the godown and they are steam treated for about an hour and cooled in the atmosphere before they are taken to the cutting  tables.When the nuts achieve atmospheric temperature, they are cut by hand operated machines and the kernels are separated.The kernels so separated are taken to a hot chamber where they are heated in trays and the kernels are spread evenly in the trays.This process would take almost a day and the kernels are  left for cooling again.

The brown skin testa of the kernels is removed by hand and the white  kernels are obtained.

The kernels so obtained are graded as 180, 240, 320 etc.,  etc. and also as "Wholes", "Halves", "Pieces" etc., etc. While the wholes have  high value, the latter have lesser value. The figures 180, 240, 320 represent the number of counts each pound of kernel would have.In other words, 320 is smaller in size as compared to 180 grade.Even though there is no change in taste and its nutritious value. Normally, there is a good demand for 180 count within the country and now at abroad also which commands good premium. Neverthless,  others like 320 and 240 also exported.
 

Packaging

The kernels are packed in metallic tins and before the tins are sealed,  carbon dioxide is pumped into the tins containing kernels withdrawing air from  the tin and the process ensures avoidance of kernels getting infected by fungus and the gas works as insecticide. Normally, such sealed tins have six to eight  months of life before which they are to be consumed. In the recent past, the importers from abroad insist for plastic bag packing, flexipacking,instead of  packing in metallic tins.Of course, the plastic would be of a specific quality without the danger of causing health hazards.

As Packaging of our product is the most essential, we at Akshaya have been  utilising the latest packaging technology to keep our cashew product at its  international standards and increase the shelf life.

At our plant we use moulded vacuum packaging.This vacuum packaging provides protection against oxidation,preserves aroma or flavours by retaining  volatile components and impedes bacteria proliferation by its virtual absence of oxygen and water

Moulded vacuum packaging augments the barrier properties with its unique five layer co-extruded barrier bag comprising component materials which are totally inert and non-migratory. It is pesticide-free,infestation-resistant and contains no preservative and does not require irradiation.