Method for cracking walnuts and recovery of nut meat therefrom
AssigneeKansas State University Research Foundation
InventorChi-Tai Huang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for the cracking of walnuts (30) is provided, and particularly Eastern black walnuts, wherein the surfaces of the shells (32) of the walnuts (30) are first altered to present compression zone(s) (132, 134), and the walnuts (30) are then cracked by subjecting the shells (32) thereof to opposed compressive forces serving to crack the shells (32) while leaving nut meat kernels intact. Preferably, the walnut shells (32) are sanded adjacent the opposed upper and lower ends (34, 36) thereof to present the zones (132, 134), with subsequent compression cracking of the shells (32), leaving a substantial fraction of the internal nut meat intact.
Claims13
A method for cracking walnuts each presenting a shell surface configuration in order to enhance the recovery of nut meat therefrom, said method comprising the steps of:
- altering said surface configuration of each walnut shell to present thereon at least one compression zone,
- said surface configuration-altering step comprising the step of abrading at least one region of each of said walnut shells to present said at least one flattened compression zone;
- thereafter cracking the surface-altered walnut shells by subjecting each walnut to opposed compressive forces at said compression zone and at a point substantially opposite said compression zone,
- said surface alteration serving to distribute compressive forces for cracking of said shells of said walnuts while leaving portions of the nut meats thereof intact;
- and
- recovering said portions of said nut meats.
A method for cracking walnuts in order to enhance the recovery of nut meat therefrom, said method comprising the steps of:
- separating each of said walnuts into quadrants, each of said quadrants including a shell segment presenting a surface configuration and a portion of nut meat;
- altering said surface configuration of each walnut shell segment by abrading the opposed ends of each shell segment;
- thereafter cracking the surface-altered walnut shell segments by subjecting each walnut shell segment to opposed compressive forces at said abraded, opposed ends for separating said nut meat portions from said walnut shell segments,
- said surface alteration serving to distribute compressive forces for cracking of said walnut shell segments while leaving said portions of said nut meats intact;
- and
- recovering said portion of said nut meats.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.