Walnuts are one of the most used snacks or ingredients throughout various continents, countries, and cultures. They are considered one of the healthiest foods available in the world. They are a rich source of several essential nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, etc. The walnut is the fruit of the walnut tree although it is not a true nut and is classified as such as all fruits that have an edible seed inside a hard shell are referred to as a nut. Walnuts are known as Akhrot in Tamil, Akrotandi in Malayalam, Aakrot in Telugu, and Akhrot in Hindi. Buy Akhrot online from reputed vendors and sellers to get the best quality ingredients.
Walnuts are part of the tree nut family. This food family typically includes cashews, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, etc. The tree that produces this fruit is commonly known as the walnut tree and it belongs to the family of the Juglandaceae. It is the most cultivated species of trees belonging to this family. It is a deciduous tree that can reach up to 30m of height during its lifespan. The leaves of the walnut trees are large and opaque green in colour with a strong unpleasant smell. Each leaf of the walnut tree consists of five to nine leaflets that stand erect at around 6 to 12 cm in height. Masculine flowers are arranged in long catkins which are brownish-green in colour. They are frequently isolated from the feminine flowers and are free of leaves when flowering. The feminine flowers tend to stay solitary or stay in groups of one to five. Buy akhrot online or offline and ensure that it is sourced from authentic farms which use the standard means to optimally grow walnuts.
The walnut is an ovoid fruit that is typically covered by a wrinkled shell. The shell is typically reddish-brown in colour and is formed by the two valves that contain the kernels of the fruit. The kernel is irregular in shape and is pale yellowish in colour. These are the edible part of the walnut and occupy all the space inside the fruit. They have a mild and sweet flavour that tends to remain on the palate a few minutes after its consumption. Walnuts have different varieties that vary in colour, shape, moisture content, etc.
Large walnuts that are flavourful, well-dried, and have a moisture content of 10% are the most in-demand by consumers. Small-sized walnuts are typically used as decorations for various food items. They are also heavily used in confectioneries such as chocolate, cakes, cookies, pastries, etc for their mild flavour and aesthetic appeal. Varieties of walnuts are determined by the colour of the seed and their taste. Buy akhrot online or offline according to the purpose for which it is going to be used.
Walnuts are typically consumed as a snack in several countries. They can also be incorporated as an ingredient that is combined with other dishes as a flavouring agent. They are available in the market in several forms. They are sold as a whole, chopped, sliced, or ground into a flour texture. Walnuts are also high in oil content which can be used as a substitute for several types of oil. Walnut oil has a sweet and mild taste which makes it perfect to create different types of desserts. It is also incorporated into specific types of liquors around the world. Buy akhrot online or offline and own a tasty and healthy snack that you can rely on to satisfy your hunger.
Walnuts are typically harvested in the fall season, commonly from September to November. The harvest season begins when the nuts have matured and a high percentage of walnuts on the tree have split hulls. By the time the walnuts have split hulls, they tend to fall naturally to the ground. Farmers and harvesters will know it’s time to harvest as the outer green hulls start drying and splitting. This is the sign during the harvesting period which allows them to remove the walnuts from the inside.
The next step is a real challenge as thousands of walnuts are ready to be collected from the ground. A process that was once done by hand is now done with the help of machinery and equipment which specialize in this process. The orchard or the farm is first swept clean to clear off unwanted substances and residues. The nuts are then removed from the tree using a mechanical shaker, a machine that holds the trunk and vigorously shakes the entire tree. The nuts that drop to the ground are then swept into windows and picked up by the harvest machinery. This process is done as quickly as possible to minimize the amount of time the nuts lay on the ground. These harvested nuts are then taken to a huller that removes the green hulls from the shell and is then kept for drying for a 24 hour period until they reach the desired moisture content. Buy akhrot online from vendors who practice the standard means of harvesting walnuts.
The walnuts are then taken aside and packed according to the market demand or specific customer requirements. The walnuts are packed by three methods: shell packed, retail packed, or bulk packed. The retail packed variety of walnuts is the only option where the consumer decides on its final packaging when he or she buys it from the store. The final step in processing walnuts before being sent to the market is pasteurization. Pasteurization is the method used to remove microorganisms by heating up the nuts to a very high temperature for a short period of time before it is kept aside for cooling down. This method is commonly used for most varieties of nuts as they share this common issue. This method, although prescribed, is only an optional practice required for walnuts.
