MSc.

ABSTRACT
Cashew, an important horticultural crop of India, has great socioeconomic
significance in our country. Cashew seed is often considered a nut in the culinary sense
and this nut is either eaten on its own or used in different recipes of food preparation.
Substantial quantities of cashew nuts are produced during rainy season in Kerala,
especially in the late season flowering types, which are inferior in quality and are being
wasted. To avoid this loss, harvesting could be carried out in the immature stage and
could make value added products. Hence, the present research work was carried out to
study the utilisation of immature cashew kernels, its storage methods and potential of
value addition.
Six different varieties viz., Madakkathara-2, Sulabha, Dhana, Priyanka, Poornima
and Kanaka were selected to study the physical and biochemical parameters of the
immature cashew kernels. Among the physical characteristics, shelling percentage was
highest for Madakkathara-2 (17.88%), the highest kernel weight was for Poornima
(2.76g) and the highest kernel size, shell weight and testa weight was observed for the
variety Priyanka. Other physical parameters like colour, external appearance and shape of
kernel differed with varieties. The estimated range of composition of immature cashew
kernels was 0.19-0.23% tannins, 4.88-9.63% carbohydrates, 5.08-9.08% fat and 7.29-
12.45% protein, which varied with varieties.
Storage studies of immature kernel were carried out by preserving in different
concentrations of brine solution (5%, 10% and 15%), sugar syrup (50°B, 60°B and 70°B)
and after drying (2-3% moisture content). Storage period was for four months and the
best storage method was preserving in 10% brine and 70°B sugar syrup, which had high
organoleptic scoring and acceptable limit of microbial count. Pre-treatments like washing
and steam blanching could reduce the tannin content in kernels.
Various value added products were prepared from the stored kernels viz., salted
bits and pickle from kernels preserved in brine; dried bits and preserve from kernels
preserved in sugar syrup; and cashew ball, cookies, jaggery coated cashew bits and honey
coated cashew bits from kernels preserved after drying. Most of the value added products
showed high acceptability during organoleptic evaluation and was comparable with those
from fresh kernels. Even some of the products like honey coated and jaggery coated
cashew bits showed higher acceptability than those from fresh kernels.
The immature cashew kernels are potential raw materials for preparing value
added products especially during rainy season to avoid the loss of matured nuts. Also
these kernels were observed to contain enough nutrients which makes it a healthy food
item.