ARAUJO, R. D. A.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0549028778510051; ARAUJO, Rafaela Duarte Almeida.
Resumo:
The removal of the cashew nut skin is largely responsible for the high rates of
breakage of the almond and the frying stage has a direct influence on the color
of the product. For these reasons, the biggest technological bottlenecks suffered
by the nut processing industry are found in these two stages, although they are
not the only ones responsible for the damages. The present work had as objective
to develop new technological alternatives for the frying (drying / roasting) and
dehulling stages of the cashew nuts and, to reach these objectives, it was
necessary to study the variations in the physical characteristics of the almonds
and after each stage of roasting and dehulling processing; study the drying
kinetics of chestnuts, combining high drying temperatures 120, 140, 160 and 180
° C with drying air speed, 3m.s-1, and adjust the models of Fick, Page, Cavalcanti
Mata and Henderson & Pabis experimental data; develop equipment to
depelicularize the nut, evaluating the parameters of the depeliculation index and
minimizing the breakage index. For this, the method of drying through the system
known as “air fryer” was used, specific methodologies to measure the physical
properties of the almonds, preliminary studies of functional systems for the
machinery and tests with prototypes for the development of the depeliculator, in
addition to statistical treatments to compare the data obtained with the
experiments carried out after using the developed equipment. It was possible to
define ideal drying times and temperatures for the almond roasting that did not
alter the physical properties of the nut, in addition to developing an efficient
equipment, with about 75% of dehulled almonds, with a whole almond index of
around 90%, with color uniformity for temperatures of 120 and 140 ° C, with
accepted coloration for export-type nut.
