Considerations Nut Processing

Considerations Nut Processing

 

While health attributes are emerging as a potent new selling point for nuts in food product development, food formulators and chefs continue to focus on their functionality as an ingredient. Nuts offer recipe developers a range of flavor, texture and appearance advantages, attributes that can subtly transform the ordinary into special treats and upscale fare. It's no surprise nuts are emerging as a popular food formulating agent. They are a tasty, easy and often inexpensive solution for enhancing the fat, fiber and calorie profile of food products. While their crunchy texture and rich flavor add value to the eating experience of a wide variety of products, their healthy oil and fiber contents help enhance satiety.

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When consumers see nuts in a foodservice product, they expect a nutty taste and crunchy texture. Those hopes are dashed when the heat lamp or chafing dish turns the gourmet, slivered or sliced nuts in the plated side dish or pilaf into a soggy, pasty mess. Diners and foodservice operators alike are disappointed when the nut toppings on desserts and inclusions in ice cream lose the crisp, snappy consistency associated with toasted nuts in desserts. When nuts such as almonds, pecans and walnuts are processed, the blanching, slicing and cutting steps open up the cell structure in the nuts.

The increased surface makes nuts ideal targets for water migration and the associated decline in texture. Moisture barrier coatings are one way to minimize this. For savory applications - typical for foodservice - water migration into the particulate can be prevented by coating the pieces with a bland coating that is impervious to water. Nuts such as almonds and pecans may be roasted or coated or toasted with oil to prevent them from absorbing water and getting soggy. Roasting enhances the flavor profile and generates a characteristically stronger flavor, which can become a part of the taste profile of the finished product.

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