Cashews
How to Check Quality of
Raw Cashew Nuts
What Quality Means
High-quality raw cashew nuts should have:
Proper size, shape & uniform colour
Low moisture
Low defect levels
High kernel yield when shelled
Parts of the Cashew Fruit
Nut / Kernel – the edible part.
Shell & Shell Liquid (CNSL) – industrial uses.
Cashew Apple – edible fruit, used for juice.
Sampling for Quality Testing
To check quality, take a representative sample from a batch before detailed testing.
Basic Quality Tests
Water Float Test
Nuts are placed in water:
Sinking nuts - usually better grade
Floating nuts - may be immature or low grade
Moisture Check
Ideal moisture after drying:
7–8% moisture - best for storage and processing
Too dry (<6%) - brittle and poor quality
Too dry (>10%) - risk of fungal growth
Nut Count
Number of nuts per kilogram helps estimate size/grade:
<180 nuts/kg - Excellent
180–200 nuts/kg - Good to Very Good
>230 nuts/kg - Poor quality
Kernel Yield After Shelling
After sampling, nuts are cracked open to inspect kernels:
Whole kernels - highest grade
Partially acceptable or rejected kernels - lower grade
Final Quality Standards
Raw Nuts should be:
~8–10% moisture
Uniform colour (grey/greenish/dark shades)
Free from mould and foreign matter
Defective nuts >15%
Kernels should be:
~5% moisture
White or light colour
Free from contamination