What are Cashew Kernels? What Difference between Raw Cashew Nuts vs Cashew Kernels? Cashew kernels vs Cashew nut? Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN) and Cashew Kernels are two completely different types of cashew. Currently, many people cannot distinguish between these 2 concepts. The following article will explain that clearly.
=> Related articles:
- Different Grades Of Cashew Kernels, Cashew Grade List In Vietnam
- What Difference Between W320 Cashew vs W240 Cashew?
- What Difference Between W450 Cashew vs W320 Cashew?
- What Difference Between WS Cashew vs WB Cashew?
- What Difference Between Raw Cashew Nuts And Cashew Kernels?
- What Difference Between LWP Cashew vs LP Cashew?
What is Raw Cashew Nut?
The Raw Cashew Nut (known as RCN, Cashew nut Shell-on, Cashew nut in a shell, or Cashew nuts) is the name of the cashew apple’s sub-nut. Although a cashew apple contains 90 % of the fruit, only 10 % is a Raw Cashew nut. A single Raw Cashew Nut has 30% cashew kernels and 70% cashew shell. Normally, 1 ton of raw cashew nuts can process 250-300 kg of the cashew kernels and 700-750 kg of the cashew shells. In the past, only the Raw Cashew nut (RCN) and Cashew Kernels are being used as commercial products in the Vietnam cashew nut industry, and cashew shells are considered waste. Today, the cashew shells are used to produce CNSL (cashew nut shell liquid), a raw material used in other industries, opening up a market of hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
=> More About Vietnam Raw Cashew Nuts: https://kimmyfarm.com/en/product/raw-cashew-nuts-in-shell-vietnam
The Cashew Apples contain:
- 90 % of the cashew fruit
- 10 % is a raw Cashew nut
The Raw Cashew nuts contain:
- 30% cashew kernels
- 70% cashew shell
What is Raw Cashew Nuts Count?
The raw cashew nut count is simply the number of nuts present in 1kg of the raw cashew sample selected for the tests. It is a function of the size distribution of the cashew nut.
The standard nut count of raw cashew nuts goes thus:
- 170 – 180, it is excellent
- 181 – 190, it is a very good
- 191 – 200, it is good
- 201 – 210, it is medium or moderate
- 211 – 220, it is low medium
- 221 – 230, it is poor.
Count the number of raw cashew nuts you have in your 1kg sample and compare it with the above standard to know where it falls. Simple, isn’t it?
Raw Cashew Nuts Count Per Kg Sort By Countries
What is nut count in raw cashew? The nut count represents the number of raw cashew nuts per kilogram. In Vietnam, depending on the year, most of the Vietnam raw cashew has a nut count of 180 to 210 / kg. Associated with the outturn, the nut count provides information on the size of kernels.
Origin | Raw Cashew Nuts count per Kg |
Guinea Bissau | 230 |
Indonesia | 190 – 210 |
Tanzania | 200 |
Benin | 195 |
Cambodia | 160 – 200 |
Côte d’Ivoire | 205 |
Mozambique | 185 |
India | 190 – 210 |
Nigeria | 200 |
Vietnam | 180 – 200 |
Brazil | 160 – 180 |
Is It Safe To Eat Raw Cashew Nuts?
The raw cashew nuts need to go through cashew processing to cashew Kernels before we can eat them. Cashew kernels themselves aren’t toxic, but they are surrounded by a shell that consists of the toxic oil urushiol… Raw Cashew nuts are not Safe to Eat, bc they have a Hardshell (known as cashew shell) that contains a natural toxin called urushiol found in poison ivy. The cashew shell oil is very toxic, and contact with it can trigger a skin reaction in some people.
What is Cashew Kernel?
Cashew Kernel (or: raw cashew kernels, cashew kernels, cashew kernal) meaning is the name of the raw cashew nuts after going through the Processing of cashew nuts. After Peeling Hardshell outside, the cashew kernel has been grading them carefully to superior standards required by top food companies all over the world. Example: Vietnam’s W320 & W240 are the most popular cashew kernels, their export volumes increase year by year. Cashew kernels are often used in processed products like chocolate and nut butter. Cashew kernels are also used to make cashew nut butter, cashew butter, cashew powder, cashew flour, cashew milk, and cashew cream. Cashew kernels are also used to make vinegar or used as a flavoring for soups and salads.
=> More About Vietnam Cashew Nut Kernels: https://kimmyfarm.com/en/vietnam-cashew-nuts/kernel
Why Are Cashew Nuts Kernel One The Most Expensive Nuts?
Cashew apples make up 90% of the fruit, and only 10% are raw cashews. So every 8-10 tons of cashew apples, we get only 1 TON of raw cashew nuts. A raw cashew nut contains 30% cashew kernel and 70% cashew nutshell. Normally, in cashew nut production, 1 TON of raw cashew nuts can be processed as 250-300 KG of Cashew Kernels and 700-750 kg of cashew shells. And the processing of Raw Cashew nuts into Cashew Kernels in very Difficult.
Top 5 reasons why cashew nuts Kernels are expensive:
=> Related article: Why Are Cashew Nuts Kernel So Expensive?
12 Steps to Turn Raw Cashew Nut into Cashew Kernel?
Cashew nut production is a large industry in South America, West Africa, and South East Asia. In Vietnam, processes from the Cashew farm to the factory and the finished product must ensure the cashew nut is as clean as possible. 12 Steps of Producing Process Vietnam Raw Cashew Nut to Cashew Kernels:
- Step 1: Collected Cashews Waiting For Cashew Fruits to Fall.
- Step 2: Separating The Cashew Nuts
- Step 3: Sun-Dry Raw Cashew Nuts until the raw cashew nuts moisture is about 8-10%, this will prevent cashews from musty when transporting or long-term storing.
- Step 4: Storage of Raw Cashew Nuts – After sun-dry, raw cashew nuts are packed in Jumbo bags (60 – 80kg/ bag), and stored in a well-ventilated & cool place.
- Step 5: Steaming Raw Cashew Nuts – The outer shell of the raw cashew nuts has to be removed to produce the edible cashew kernel.
- Step 6: Hard Shell Cutting – After Steam Roasting is complete, the cashew nuts are peeled off quickly to remove the outer shell to get the inner kernel.
- Step 7: Drying Cashew Nut Kernels
- Step 8: Peeling The Testa – a process where the inner shell of the kernel is removed to produce white nuts.
- Step 9: Color-Sorting Cashew Nut Kernels & Quality Control Cashew Nut – The cashew nut classification process is designed to classify cashew nuts kernel nuts into different grades for export.
- Step 10: Metal Detectors
- Step 11: Packaging & Shipping – Cashew kernels product packaging to tin cans, vacuum flexy pouches…
- Step 12: Fumigation Before Ship – Exporters of Cashew nuts must be registered for quarantine and Fumigation of shipments.
=> More About: How cashew nuts made by Vietnamese Farmer
=> More About Vietnam Cashew Kernels Products => https://kimmyfarm.com/en/vietnam-cashew-nuts/kernel
How Many Type Of Cashew Kernels?
In total, there are 33 different grades of cashew nuts (cashew types), but only 8 to 16 cashew types are available for people to purchase.
=> For More Info: Different Grades Of Cashew Kernel, Cashew Grade List Vietnam
List of Common types of cashews kernels:
- W210 Cashew: W stands for “Whole” cashews. The number 210 signifies how many kernels are there in 1 pound (Lb) of cashew
- W240 Cashew: W stands for “Whole” cashews. The number 240 signifies how many kernels are there in 1 pound (Lb) of cashew
- W320 Cashew: W stands for “Whole” cashews. The number 320 signifies how many kernels are there in 1 pound (Lb) of cashew
- W450 Cashew: W stands for “Whole” cashews. The number 450 signifies how many kernels are there in 1 pound (Lb) of cashew
- WS Cashew: W stands for “White” cashews, and S stands for Broken “Splits” Cashews.
- LP Cashew: L stands for “Large Broken” and P stands for “Pieces Of Cashew”.
- SP Cashew: S stands for “Small Broken” and P stands for “Pieces Of Cashew”.
- BB Cashew: B stands for “Baby cashews” and B stands for “Bits cashews.
How To Know That is High-Quality Cashew Kernels?
A. We Can Check Quality of Cashew Kernels By Appearances
- Cashew Less Damaged
- Cashew Kernels Free From Husk
- Color Of Cashew Kernels (Depend on Origin)
- Size Of Cashew Kernels (maybe, Depending on Origin)
- Long Expiration Date
B. We Can Check the Quality of Cashew Kernels By Taste And Texture
- Taste: delicious and greasy
- Texture: crispy, fleshy, dry, not oily, not mold
=> For the Full Article Here: How To Check Quality Of Cashew Nut Kernels?
Difference Between Raw Cashew Nuts VS Cashew Kernels?
- Cashew Apple: includes cashew fruit, and raw cashew nut.
- Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN): include Cashew Kernel as a part.
- Cashew Kernel: is part of the Raw Cashew nut (RCN).
Raw Cashew Nut To Cashew Kernel Ratio?
Raw cashew nut after processing – The % Ratio we can recover into cashew kernels (Cashew Kernels output ratio) is About 30% and 70% cashew shell. For Example – Vietnam Raw Cashew Nut To Cashew Kernel Ratio: About 24 – 27 %!
% Ratio – Type of Cashew Kernels: (about 80% whole kernel grades, 20% broken kernel grades)
Type of Cashew Kernels | % Ratio |
W240 | 20% |
W320 | 45% |
W450 | 5% |
WS | 10% |
LP | 3% |
SP | 2% |
BB | 1% |
Outturn Comparison: The Raw Cashew Nuts to Cashew Kernel Outturn Ratio
RCN Origin | % Cashew Kernel Ratio |
Guinea Bissau | 31 |
Indonesia | 30 |
Tanzania | 29 |
Benin | 27 |
Cambodia | 27 |
Mozambique | 26 |
Ivory Coast | 27 |
India | 26 |
Nigeria | 25 |
Vietnam | 24 |
Brazil | 21 |
Vietnam Need More Than 1 Million Tonnes Of Raw Cashew Nuts Per Year
The biggest advantage of Vietnam’s cashew industry is the advanced processing technology, with a total capacity of 4 million tons of raw cashew nuts a year. Vietnam’s Imported raw materials (raw cashew nuts) account for 70 percent of cashew processing, voicing concerns about the limited capacity of small-scale production facilities, which has affected product quality. Vietnam needs more than 1 million tonnes of raw cashew nuts for processing every year. As only ~ 300,000 tonnes are sourced domestically, the remainder must be imported, with most coming from West Africa.
=> If you Have a Large Volume of Raw Cashew Nuts and want to Export to Vietnam – Contact Us:
- Phone/Zalo: 0947729829 (Ms. Hanh)
- Whatapps/Viber: +84947729829 (English & VN)
- Email: contact@kimmyfarm.com – hanh@kimmy.vn
- Office: 244/20A Le Van Khuong, Thoi An, Dist. 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 700000
@Products Mentioned in Article: Vietnam cashew nuts
A brand specializing in the production and export of agricultural products in Vietnam. We have a black soldier fly farm in Tay Ninh and a cashew growing area in Binh Phuoc. The main export products of the company are: cashew nuts, cashew nut kernels, black soldier fly, frozen seafood, shrimp, prawns, catfish… from Vietnam.