Walnuts are one of the most popular nut crops in the world. Their kernels have high nutritional value, making them attractive for use in the culinary and food industries. However, when processing walnuts, it is important to know what affects the yield of whole kernels and which nutcracker gives the most whole kernels.
One of the main factors that affect the yield of whole walnut kernels is the variety of walnut. Different varieties
of walnuts have different sizes and shapes of kernels, different ratios of kernel to shell, different fullness, different thickness, and hardness of shells. For example, one variety of walnuts has a thin shell, while another non-variety has a thick, hard shell. The first one can be carefully cracked to obtain a whole kernel, the second one requires a lot of effort to crack and it is impossible to extract the kernel whole. Therefore, when choosing a variety of walnuts for processing, it is important to pay attention to the variety and its characteristics.
Another factor that affects the yield of whole walnut kernels is the processing technology. Manual careful processing can provide more careful processing of walnuts because a person can be more careful and focused on preserving the integrity of the kernel. However, considering the large scale of walnut production and the need for automation of the process, the industry uses nutcrackers that can automatically crack shells in large quantities. These nutcrackers are usually designed to provide a maximum yield of whole kernels with minimal damage.
The most effective nutcrackers are those with a conical cracking principle and the ability to adjust the cracking force based on the size and hardness of the walnut. Such nutcrackers provide a higher yield of the whole kernel since they crack the shell without damaging the kernel.
Conical nutcrackers are available in manual versions with a capacity of up to 15 kg/hour and industrial versions with capacities of 50, 100, and 200 kg/hour.
In addition, the moisture content of walnuts can also affect the yield of whole kernels during processing. If the nuts are too dry, the shells may crack and break, reducing the number of whole kernels.
To ensure the maximum yield of whole walnut kernels, it is important to follow optimal processing conditions. Specifically, the nuts must be of sufficient quality and have the appropriate moisture level. It is also necessary to use an effective nutcracker. Industrial processing using specially developed nutcrackers can provide higher efficiency and processing speed.