Macadamia Nuts Drying Technique

Macadamia nuts are the most expensive nuts in the world.

A one-pound bag sells for about $25, almost twice that of other nuts such as almonds, and their prices are setting new records year by year.

Because of their rich, buttery flavor, macadamia nuts are considered high-quality dessert nuts. In countries such as China and the United States, macadamia nuts are a popular food and popular imported food.

Why are macadamia nuts so expensive?

The main reason is the slow harvesting process. Although there are ten types of macadamia trees, only two types produce expensive nuts, and it takes 7 to 10 years for these trees even to start making nuts.

The flowering trees originated in northeastern Australia, and the locals of Australia ate nuts. Although macadamia nuts are native to Australia, macadamia trees were initially been grown commercially in Hawaii.

Hawaii’s trees are very suitable for the climate-they need a lot of rain, fertile soil, and warm weather to thrive, which means that regions that do not meet these requirements must always import macadamia nuts from Hawaii, South Africa, and Latin America. Or Australia. And since it takes four to six months to bloom, these nuts will mature at different times of the year.

They only harvest five to six times a year, usually by hand. Their thick shells are generally removed before they are sold, making it challenging to distinguish immature nuts from immature nuts, making the harvesting process more laborious and costly.

Macadamia nuts are becoming more and more popular due to their high-fat content. With 20.9 grams of fat per pound of fat, they contain more fat than any other nuts, which is why people used to think that macadamia nuts are unhealthy. Most fats do not have 100% cholesterol and contain palmitoleic acid, which can improve your metabolism and help your body maintain healthy insulin levels.

Each nut consists of 80% oil and 4% sugar. The high fat and low sugar content make macadamia nuts an ideal choice for many healthy diets and weight loss programs.

Because of the preciousness of nuts, countries like China that import them in large quantities are now increasing their harvests. However, demand for macadamia nuts temporarily exceeded supply, pushing up prices.

However, due to the cultivation of macadamia trees in countries like China and Vietnam, the global supply of macadamia nuts is expected to increase.

How to dry macadamia nuts?

1. Picking macadamia nuts: The ripe macadamia nuts just picked from the tree has a green peel, the moisture content of the peel is as high as 45%, and the moisture content of the kernel is about 23-25%. After the fruit is harvested, it is best to spread out and store it to prevent the fruit pile from heating up because when the unpeeled fruit is stored, the heat will be generated due to respiration (the temperature can sometimes rise as much as 10 ℃). A high temperature will cause the kernel to deteriorate.

2. Peeling: There are two types of peeling: manual peeling and mechanical peeling. Beforehand peeling, it is best to put the nuts with the skin in the drying field for 1 to 2 days to let the peel dry and dehydrate and crack, and then it is easy to peel it by hand. However, mechanical peeling requires high green moisture content in the peel, and peeling processing is performed when the kernel and the shell are healthy.

3. Slit: Find a tool to “slit.” If you want to make creamy macadamia nuts, you need to open the seams first. The function of slitting is to let the flavor blend into the nuts; if you want to make original macadamia nuts, Can be slit after the production is completed.

4. Seasoning: The next step is the seasoning process. If you want to make a creamy taste, you can buy spices, adjust the concentration, and put the fruit on it to soak.

5. Drying

Drying is a critical part of the macadamia processing process, which directly determines the shelf life of the fruit and the taste and quality of the final product. The just harvested macadamia nut contains up to 30% moisture, and the drying process can reduce the moisture content to 2 to 3%. The fruit will shrink to the inside of the shell and separate from the inner wall of the surface so that the kernel will not be damaged when the fruit is broken.

Macadamia Dryer Machine

The general drying temperature and time for shelled fruits are as follows: 30°C (2-3 days) → 38°C (1-2 days) → 45°C (1-2 days) → 50°C (dry until the required Water content). The drying time is affected by the following conditions: the initial humidity of the fruit, the relative humidity of the air, and the final moisture content required by the fruit after drying. If the initial moisture, relative air humidity, and humidity content needed are all high, the time required is longer. Otherwise, it is shorter, depending on the specific situation.