Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), a chlorine-based chemical used to bleach tree nut shells for aesthetic purposes, can react with fatty acids in the edible kernels to form potentially harmful fatty acid chlorohydrins. Researchers called for further toxicological evaluation of these process contaminants.
The Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association (PTNPA) will recognize National Nut Day on October 22, highlighting the nutrition, economic impact, and community contributions of the U.S. nut industry.
WECO's MXV-Bulk X-ray inspection system identifies and rejects a variety of product defects that show no obvious external signs including empty nut shells, insect damage, and internal mold. It also removes foreign material including stones, glass, ceramics, and embedded metal.
The educational series comprises four distinct food safety events taking place across the U.S. to help address the nut industry’s diverse challenges through networking, professional development, and knowledge-sharing.
As of December 2, laboratory-confirmed cases in the ongoing Salmonella outbreak linked to pistachios has reached 155, and CFIA now requires importers and manufacturers of Iranian pistachios to hold and test their products for Salmonella before they can be sold.
The Spanish Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Murcia (Fecoam) points to recent RASFF food safety notifications about U.S. nuts demonstrating dangerous levels of aflatoxin contamination—with almonds exceeding EU maximum levels by three times in one instance—and calls for stricter import controls.
Duravant’s Key Technology and PPM Technologies have jointly introduced a new, fully integrated nut processing line that automates all nut processing steps, from post-shelling to packaging.
