Most of the time it is still possible to get around the city, although many people will find their houses becoming islands in the middle of a rainy pond – there’s a reason some houses are built on stilts. It just so happens that December is cashew season, and during my recent trip to the Rupununi , I was fortunate to be taught the elusive process of cashew roasting, the hobby of many village children this time of year. Moderate and regular consumption of cashew aids in lowering gs7 flashlight the cholesterol in our heart and the buildup of fat that leads to weight management. They have a high amount of dietary fiber and a high energy density that are essential for weight loss only when eaten moderately. Due to its high level of lutein and zeaxanthin, it is an excellent food for the eyes. They are very effective in promoting healthy eyes and also preventing your eyes from been damages by harmful radiations of sun rays and also lowers the instance of cataracts.
These nuts are actually from cashew apples, also known as ‘cashew fruits’. The fruit is a powerhouse of protein and minerals that include copper, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc. From aiding the production of blood, supporting heart health to weight loss, there are a lot of hidden benefits of it. Discarded cashew nuts, usually called cashew nut meal, is an energy and nutrient rich product that can be used at relatively high levels in ruminant diets, though one should pay attention to its high oil content. Cashew fruit, botanically classified as Anacardium occidentale, grows on evergreen trees that can reach fourteen meters in height and belongs to the Anacardiaceae family along with mangos.
The thin foliage of the tree is limited to the ends of the branches and is made up of oval-oblong leathery, shiny dark green leaves. The leaves are smooth with pronounced veins and midrib and possess petioles which are swollen at their base. The cashew apple is pear shaped and red to yellow in color. Cashew trees can reach a height of 12 m (39.4 ft) and have an economic lifespan of 25 years after which time they are replaced in commercial plantations. The nuts are nothing less than a delight to the taste buds. But, have you ever wondered where they came from?
Processing requires gloves, or the nuts must be tumbled in sawdust or ashes to absorb the liquid . Manual kernel extraction as practiced in some countries can cause serious burns on the hands of the workers. Several processes have been developed to reduce this hazard, such as pan- or drum-roasting, steaming prior to shelling and soaking in hot oil. In the roasting process, the exudate catches fire and produces a thick black and irritating smoke that causes air pollution . After roasting, the nuts are quenched with water to prevent further burning. The waste water also has some contaminant effect and must be treated (Mohod et al., 2011;Sengupta, 2007).
Through agencies such as IPED and USAID-PI 480, several processors have received equipment. Recently, through a loan from IPED, a processor was able to acquire a peanut sheller and grinder. Through WAB, several women’s groups received equipment, such as mixing bowls and all purposes mills for their processing activities. However, the industry needs more simple but useful equipment such as extractor, sieves, liquefiers, dryers and refractometers. Very little processing is done with vegetables in Guyana.
They can be eaten fresh in salads, pressed to make juices, cooked in syrup or made into jams to preserve them. During 1990, the NGMC, in collaboration with FAO, conducted training sessions in “Small Scale Processing Techniques” using simple equipment, in three of the administrative regions of Guyana. During these sessions, the consultant sought to improve upon many of the existing processing techniques, as well as introduce new ones. Of all the root crops, the cassava is the most versatile in the processing industry. It is used in the production of cassava starch, farine, cassava bread, tapioca and casareep.
