Processing
The nut in shell delivered to our factories is carefully recorded as to the grower, time of delivery and variety. The moisture content varies from 20% to 5%. As a separate "batch", these nuts in shell are kept apart in our substantial curing facility where warm air is passed through them. This brings them down to the optimum processing moisture content of 3% and separates the kernel from the shell ready for cracking.
Cracking of this very hard shell is done mechanically in South Africa, with each nut in shell being fed independently into a specially designed macadamia cracker. From here the shells are separated from the kernel, graded according to oil content and sorted for styling.
Quality is the most important aspect in our factories. Firstly the kernel is passed though a specifically calibrated process to remove any foreign objects, immature kernel and kernel that do not achieve the correct oil content for first grade macadamias. To double check, the kernel undergoes two further separate visual quality control inspections.
The macadamias are then graded into "styles" and placed into a drying process to reduce the moisture content to less than 1,5%, ready for packing.
Macadamias in South Africa usually achieve an average of 25% crackout. This means that 75% of the weight of the nut in shell at 3% moisture is waste material comprising, a very hard, solid shell.
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