Thermal Blast Shelling of Nuts

Thermal blast shelling has proven effective in removing the shells from filberts, chestnuts, almonds, pecans, and coconuts. Shells were completely removed from nuts and the nuts were blanched in a single operation. Thermal Blast shelling was accomplished with an apparatus that confined nuts in a pre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHortScience Vol. 33; no. 3; p. 533
Main Authors Smith, D.A, Harris, H, Norton, J.D
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.06.1998
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Summary:Thermal blast shelling has proven effective in removing the shells from filberts, chestnuts, almonds, pecans, and coconuts. Shells were completely removed from nuts and the nuts were blanched in a single operation. Thermal Blast shelling was accomplished with an apparatus that confined nuts in a pressure vessel, supplied intense heat for a short duration, then instantly opened the vessel to atmospheric pressure. The result was an explosion that blew the product from the vessel and simultaneously exploded the shell from the nut. Blanching was complete with all testa removed from kernel convolutions during the shelling of filberts, chestnuts, and almonds. Pecans required conditioning to an optimum moisture level and a heating medium comprised of superheated steam and air to avoid kernel damage.
ISSN:0018-5345
2327-9834
DOI:10.21273/HORTSCI.33.3.533d