Drying walnuts to a moisture content of less than 10% extends the shelf life, prevents spoilage and mold, preserves the useful properties and quality of the kernel.
*Important! In addition to drying, the shelf life and quality of the nut are also influenced by the correct collection and storage conditions.
Walnuts are dried immediately after harvesting and cleaning from the green pericarp, as well as after the preventive washing of the in-shell walnut from debris and dust.
Small batches of walnuts can be dried outdoors or in the attic. For walnut orchard owners, walnut buyers and processors, it is better to use industrial dryers.
Dryers:
- take up much less space when compared to natural drying on the street, since the walnut must be spread in a small layer;
- save time – natural drying takes from 3 to 12 days, depending on weather conditions, and dryers are capable of drying up to 2 tons of walnuts per day;
- do not require manual labor and time – for uniform drying, the walnut must be stirred from time to time, and removed to the room at night, a nut mixing system is installed in the dryer.
- Also, industrial dryers dry the walnuts more evenly thanks to the air circulation system.
Depending on the initial moisture content of the walnut and the required drying speed, the temperature can be adjusted. However, it is important to remember that if the temperature is too high, the walnut can become dry.
In production, walnuts are dried in industrial dryers, because they:
- evenly dry the walnut
- prevent damage to the kernel and its darkening
- allow you to store the walnut for a long time without losing quality
- speed up the drying process, which allows you to sell or process the walnut faster
- do not require manual labor – one person is enough to load/unload and control the operation of the dryer
- take up little space and can be easily moved.