|
|
American Institute of Marine Underwriters |
Commodity Search Form
NUTS AND KERNELS
- Description: BRAZIL NUTS - Brazil nuts are the large, elongate, three-sided, oily seeds of the South American brazil nut tree (monkey-pot tree family, Lecythidaceae). Because of their flavor, they are also known as the butternut or cream nut. Brazil nuts are shell fruit (nut types). Because of their similar characteristics with regard to transport, particularly their high oil content, their requirements regarding care during storage and transport are the same as those of oil-bearing seeds/fruits. The Brazil nut tree, which, at a height of 20 - 60 m, towers over the canopy of the tropical forest has a fruit capsule 30 cm in diameter which contains 10 - 40 three-sided, brown nuts, each 3 - 5 cm in length. These nuts are arrayed around a central column, in a similar manner to the segments of a citrus fruit around the placenta. The shell of the nut is extremely hard, wrinkly and woody. The shell encloses a white seed kernel, which is surrounded by a brown seed coat, which contains antioxidants, which protect the oil-rich seed from atmospheric oxygen so preventing it from becoming rancid (oxidative rancidity). Once they have fallen to the ground, the fruit capsules are harvested by collectors, broken open, washed and then taken to collection centers, from which they are dispatched to shelling plants or traders. Oil content: - 50 - 68% - up to 70%
- Index: 518
- Commodity Name: NUTS AND KERNELS