Can Cashew Processing And Packaging Have An Impact On Their Nutritional Value?
Haven’t you heard the occasional compliment – “Oh, your face is glowing, what has changed?”
More often than not, we attribute it to our change in lifestyle – diet and/or physical activities. With the onset of the pandemic, we have become more conscious about the sourcing and the quality of the food we are consuming. The western concept of ‘organic’ products has become more prevalent. And needless to say, with the advent of technology, the system of processing food has revolutionized and not necessarily for the better.
Food items such as dry fruits undergo several stages of processing before the final consumption. This processing might not result in the best quality output always. More often than not, chemicals and artificial preservatives are added to elongate the shelf life and enhance the appearance of the final product.
There are a lot of factors that determine the quality of dry fruits like cashews. Since they are so popularly consumed by people all over the world, here are some insights into the processing system to know whether the ones you are consuming are really safe or not.
The place you source the cashews from says a lot about the quality of the product. Ideally, African countries are the first pick for sourcing the highest quality of cashews. Ghana, Mali and Burkina, in particular, are the places that are most reliable for the source of cashews as they are rich in nutrients.
After sourcing the cashews, comes the drying process. Chemically dried cashews generally leave a residue, which needless to say, is extremely harmful to the body. Moreover, harsh processing messes with the nutritional values of the cashews as well, making them not too viable and useful for consumption. The chemical residues left behind are an important marker of whether the cashews are indeed safe for consumption or not.
Ultimately, the entire process boils down to the packaging of the final product. More often than not, we do not pay heed to the packaging. There are multiple reasons why the packaging is of utmost importance:
- With the advent of the pandemic, we have become very conscious about sanitisation and hygiene. The handlers should always wear gloves and hairnets when dealing with the products.
- Air-tight sealing not only ensures that the cashews remain crisp but it also ensures that no foreign particles enter the pouch.
- Air-tight seals also ensure that the quality of the products is not compromised during transportation or handling since there are no empty spaces in the packaging.
So the next time your local ‘Kirana bhaiya’ offers you a packet of cashews for cheap in thin plastic packaging, you know exactly what to do!
As we all know, knowledge is power, with these few important markers you can empower yourself and make the correct decision with regards to your health!