Hazelnut Processing Steps Explained: From Orchard to Finished Ingredient
Understanding the full processing journey of hazelnuts is essential for food manufacturers, importers, QA teams and sourcing professionals. This guide breaks down every stage—from harvesting and drying to cracking, blanching, optical sorting and export packing—while highlighting quality checkpoints that influence industrial performance.
1. Harvesting: The start of the hazelnut supply chain
Hazelnuts are typically harvested between **August and September** in Türkiye’s Black Sea region. Timing is critical: early harvest can reduce kernel maturity, while late harvest increases moisture and defect risk.
- Hazelnuts fall naturally or are shaken from the trees.
- Growers collect them manually or with mechanical sweepers.
- Foreign materials (leaves, soil, branches) are removed on-site before drying.
2. Natural and mechanical drying
Drying reduces moisture from ~20–25% to **below 6%** to prevent mould formation and aflatoxin risk.
- Traditional sun drying on mesh or concrete platforms.
- Mechanical dryers used in high-humidity regions.
- Moisture is continuously tested using calibrated meters.
Proper drying is one of the most important contributors to stable roasting performance and long shelf life.
3. Cracking & shell removal
Once dried, hazelnuts are delivered to cracking facilities where the hard shell is mechanically removed without damaging the kernel.
- Calibrated cracking machines apply controlled pressure.
- Air separators remove shells and lighter foreign matter.
- Initial sorting removes underdeveloped or defective kernels.
After cracking, kernels are further processed at sorting and cleaning lines.
4. Sorting, cleaning & optical scanning
Modern processors use multiple sorting technologies to meet industrial defect tolerances:
- Vibrating sieves for initial size separation.
- Airflow classifiers for density-based sorting.
- Optical sorters to detect colour variation, mould, shell pieces and foreign materials.
- Manual inspection teams for premium-grade output.
This stage determines conformity with specifications for chocolate, roasting and paste production.
5. Blanching & skin removal
Blanching removes the brown skin from hazelnut kernels using controlled heat treatment.
- Kernels are heated until the skin detaches naturally.
- Rotating drums or abrasive rollers remove loosened skin.
- Skin removal % is an important specification (typically 98–99%).
Blanched kernels are widely used for chocolate, pralines, coated products and further processing.
6. Size grading & industrial calibration
Kernels are sorted into standardized industrial calibers such as:
- 9–11 mm (for chopping, paste & praline)
- 11–13 mm (general industrial use)
- 13–15 mm (premium whole nut inclusion)
- 14–16 / 15+ mm (limited availability)
Calibrated size distribution directly affects roasting uniformity and product appearance.
7. Final QC, moisture testing & documentation
Before packing, each production lot undergoes strict laboratory and sensory checks.
- Moisture analysis
- Defect percentage measurement
- Sensory evaluation (aroma, texture, flavour)
- Microbiological tests (TPC, yeasts, moulds, pathogens)
- Aflatoxin testing when required
Documentation such as Certificate of Origin, Phytosanitary Certificate, and lab reports is prepared according to destination country requirements.
8. Packing for export
Hazelnuts are packed to maximize shelf life and minimize quality degradation during shipment. Typical packing formats include:
- Vacuum-packed 25 kg bags
- 50 kg PP bags
- Big bags (500–1000 kg) for industrial users
- Custom palletizing and shrink-wrapped loads
Exporters conduct metal detection and final visual checks prior to loading containers.
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