Pecans, walnuts, Brazils, almonds… once you select your set of nuts, you need to decide whether to roast or fry them. For example, when processing and making almonds, it is widely agreed that they are better roasted, whereas frying is the best method when processing cashews.  Either way, mixed nuts manufacturing requires equipment that can adjust to the particularities of each ingredient. These include their shape, size and consistency, for instance, but also the oil absorption from each nut when frying them. As an example, roasted peanuts have a low oil absorption rate, and can be more challenging to fry.

Before manually or mechanically creating your set of nuts, you need to process and check them individually for defects. Again, each nut can be more susceptible to different damages sources, such as insects, birds, and rodents. General items you need to check to ensure the quality of the nut are discoloration, rancidity and molds. Mold can occur more in chestnuts and Brazil nuts, while hazelnuts may become bitter after the attack of plant pests.

Flavonoids are another thing to watch out for in mixed nuts manufacturing. They are natural products common to beans, vegetables, fruits and other types of food. They are responsible for giving vivid colors and have also anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic properties.

Another study with almonds, pines, cashews and pistachios showed that neither roasting nor frying nuts affected their flavonoids content, compared to their raw state. The only exception was for pistachios, which saw an increase in it.