How can groundnut be processed?

Processing of groundnut involves several steps to obtain various products from the harvested peanut pods. Here is a general overview of the process:

1. Harvesting:

- Groundnut plants are typically harvested when the pods are mature and ready for collection.

- They are carefully dug out of the soil to minimize damage to the pods.

2. Drying:

- After harvesting, the groundnut pods are left to dry in the sun or using mechanical dryers.

- Proper drying reduces moisture content and helps preserve the quality of the nuts.

3. Shelling:

- Once the pods are dry, the next step is to remove the outer pod shells to extract the peanuts.

- This can be done manually or with the help of shelling machines.

4. Cleaning and Sorting:

- The shelled peanuts are cleaned to remove any remaining debris, such as shell fragments, dirt, and immature kernels.

- They are then sorted based on size, quality, and other desired characteristics.

5. Roasting:

- Roasting is an optional step that enhances the flavor and aroma of groundnuts.

- Peanuts can be roasted using various methods, such as baking, frying, or roasting in hot sand.

6. Blanching:

- Blanching involves briefly steaming or boiling the peanuts to loosen the skins.

- This makes it easier to remove the red skins and obtain blanched peanuts.

7. Skin Removal:

- After blanching, the peanuts can be passed through a machine to remove the skins.

- Alternatively, blanching can be skipped, and the peanuts can be directly processed into other products.

8. Oil Extraction:

- Peanuts are commonly processed to extract oil.

- Mechanical pressing or solvent extraction methods are used to separate the oil from the peanut kernels.

- The extracted peanut oil is further refined and used for various culinary and industrial purposes.

9. Peanut Butter Production:

- Peanuts can be processed into peanut butter, a popular spread or ingredient.

- Roasted peanuts are ground into a smooth paste, often with the addition of salt, sugar, and other ingredients to enhance flavor and texture.

10. Other Products:

- Groundnuts can be further processed into various other products, such as peanut flour, protein isolates, and snack foods.

- These products find applications in the food industry, confectionery, and other sectors.

Overall, the processing of groundnut involves careful handling and various steps to convert the raw peanuts into edible products, oil, and other valuable derivatives.