Walnut Processing: From Hulling To Packing

Walnut Processing: From Hulling To Packing

 

                In recent years, the California nut industry has been growing. Not only are more orchards being converted into nut orchards, but there is also a lot of money being put into research to improve the nut industries.  In regards to walnuts, there was a 16% increase in California walnut production between 2013 and 2014, California supplies 99% or more of walnuts to the global marketplace, and they are the 2nd highest exported nut (behind almonds).

 In addition to the growing process, there is an additional walnut processing step required to remove the shell and to provide a ready-to-eat product for the consumer. Öz Star Nuts roasting machines provide the best quality of salted peanuts, almonds, hazelnut.

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Walnut Processing

When walnuts grow on the tree, there is an exterior layer over the shell known as the hull.

 Hulling, which is the process of removing of the hull, is done in between harvest and arrival to the processor. As you can see below, the nuts on the left have not been hulled, while the nuts on the right have just arrived at the processor and have been hulled.

 After the walnuts are hulled, they are sent to a drying room where the walnuts are dried until they reach the desired moisture content. When walnuts arrive at the processor, they go into storage. Similar to other dried fruits and nuts, the walnut harvest season only lasts a few months, and the walnut supply for the rest of the year is fulfilled from storage.

 As you can see below on the left, walnuts are commonly stored in bulk rooms that are basically a large pile of walnuts throughout a warehouse, as well as in stacked bins in a storage room shown on the right.