Cashew Nut Processing Industry Research Articles

Activated Carbon from Cashew Nut Husk and Cashew Nut Shell Wastes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorption Studies

AbstractActivated carbon (AC) is a key material in numerous industrial applications, including wastewater treatment, catalysis, personal care products, and pharmaceutical industry. Producing AC from waste biomass is of much interest since the environmental footprint is low and the economics are favorable for most applications. Cashew nut husk (CNH) and cashew nut shell (CNS) are typically considered wastes in the cashew nut processing industry. Synthesis of AC from CNH and CNS allows value addition of these materials and improves the economic prospects of the cashew nut processing industry. Herein, we report the production of AC by carbonization of CNH and CNS using orthophosphoric acid as the activating agent. The results showed that 700 °C is a suitable activation temperature for CNH, whereas 500 °C was enough for activating CNS. The AC samples were extensively characterized by FTIR, PXRD, BET, and FESEM‐EDX analysis. The AC produced from CNH at 700 °C (H‐700) exhibited a very high specific surface area and iodine number of 1511 m2/g and 961 mg/g, respectively. Therefore, H‐700 was used for adsorbing methylene blue from water as a model for wastewater treatment. The H‐700 sample showed an adsorption capacity of 520 mg/g with good recyclability up to five cycles.

Challenges encountered by cashew nut processing industry

Tamandu has emerged as one of India's premier cashew nut producers and processors. The thriving export potential and robust local demand have fueled the rapid expansion of the cashew industry in this region. With approximately 675 cashew nut processing units scattered across Tamil Nadu, these establishments have primarily embraced labor-intensive operations, offering valuable employment opportunities to rural communities. However, it's worth noting that only 576 processing units have managed to contribute data for this study. The collected data predominantly revolves around challenges related to various facets of cashew nut processing, including activity-based challenges, issues concerning workers' families, social problems, worker hygiene challenges, hurdles encountered within the processing units, as well as difficulties tied to workers' wages and benefits. Furthermore, the investigation into occupational health, ergonomic considerations, and the development of ergonomically designed work equipment in small and medium-scale cashew nut processing units in Tamil Nadu has remained largely unexplored. As a result, this research seeks to shed light on the risk of musculoskeletal issues prevalent in these cashew processing units, aiming to address an important aspect of workers' well-being in this vital industry.

Ergonomic Assessment of Cashew nut Kernel Peeling Activity in Women Workers Using REBA

Women are the major work force in cashew nut processing industries in south Maharashtra. Various processes carried out to obtain final edible cashew nut in these industries are, sun drying, roasting, kernel peeling etc. Peeling of outer hard shell called kernel peeling (Shelling) is very time consuming and cumbersome operation and requires labor work force. The women carrying out this activity are at high ergonomic risk which develops musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). This research paper presents an ergonomic assessment of cashew nut kernel peeling activity among 25 women workers using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method. Twenty five women workers were randomly selected for the study from Malvan in District Sindhudurg, Maharashtra. Prolonged and repetitive manual peeling activities can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. The REBA method was applied to evaluate the ergonomic risks associated with cashew nut peeling and to propose potential interventions to improve the working conditions. The study found that the peeling activity poses significant ergonomic challenges and recommends modifications to reduce the risk of work-related injuries among cashew nut peelers. During the survey, it was found that about 85% of the employees were women. Intensity of body pain, postural deviation, joint discomfort and musculoskeletal problems were recorded during survey. Analysis of MSDs reveal that 95% of workers are has low back pain more predominant followed by neck 83% and shoulder pain of about 75%. Further Rapid entire body assessment (REBA) analysis reveals that 25% of the workers are facing sever discomfort in low back pain and 46 % of worker had severed discomfort in neck pain. This study clearly shows that postural behavior in cashew nut processing industries may be the reason for the MSDs in women workers. Thus for human-wellbeing and to sustain human progress, there is urgent need to solve these problems of workers.

Manual Shelling of Preconditioned Cashew Nut Using Handtool and Its Impact on Occupational Health of Workers

India is the second-leading country in production of cashew nut. Cashew nut are roasted or steamed before shelling. The study was conducted in cashew nut processing industries situated in Selsella and Mankachar blocks of Meghalaya and Assam. The purpose of this study was to compare the cutting strength of cashew nut shells influenced by roasting and steaming. The impact of manual shelling of cashew nut on occupational health of workers was also assessed by using ergonomic tools. The moisture content, colour, and hardness of cashew nut shell were measured. The processing of cashew nut influenced the cutting strength of cashew nut significantly. Steamed cashew nut shell was stronger than the roasted cashew nut shell. Hence, manually shelling of steamed cashew nut shell required more force compared to with that of roasted cashew nut shell. Four cashew nut processing industries, two each from Selsella and Mankachar block of Meghalaya and Assam, respectively were selected purposively. A group of 10 female workers from each industry were selected randomly as sample for this study. Ergonomic parameters: working Heart Rate, energy expenditure, rated perceived exertion, hand grip measurements, RULA and REBA analysis were used to assess occupational health of workers. The results of the study showed that the workers of cashew nut industries were exposed to high occupational health and safety risk due to poor working environment, awkward working posture, repetitive and tedious job.

Electrochemical oxidation for treating effluents from cashew nut processing using batch reactors

• Electro-oxidation using DSA efficiently decreases organic matter from cashew-nut wastewater. • pH conditions about 4.0 are essential to degrade the oil phase of the effluent. • Presence of Cl – ions in the wastewater increases the efficiency of the process. • Higher flow rate reduces energy consumption when compared with stirring reactor. Electrochemical treatment of phenolic effluents produced in the cashew nut processing industry (CNPI) in Northeast Brazil was investigated using a double-faced Ti/TiO 2 RuO 2 anode and two Ti plates as cathodes, in two electrochemical systems (batch reactor with magnetic stirring and recirculation reactor). Parameters evaluated were current density, pH conditions, chloride concentration and inter-electrode distance. Operating conditions that showed best performance for organic matter removal, in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), were 35 mA cm −2 , pH 4.0, 1985 mg L −1 of Cl − and 220 L h −1 of flow rate by using recirculation reactor, achieving 97.5% in 360 min of electrolysis. pH conditions about 4.0 were essential to degrade the oil phase of the effluent; while the presence of chloride promoted the electrogeneration of strong oxidants, increasing the efficiency of the process. Also, higher flow rate of the recirculation system reduced the electrical cell potential required for the electrochemical treatment, thus reducing energy consumption (99.58 kWh m −3 ) when compared to that obtained by using batch magnetic stirring reactor (201.6 kWh m −3 ), under same experimental conditions. Results encourage the application of electrochemical technology with mixed oxide electrodes as actual CNPI effluent treatment process, when environmental sustainability, cost and commercial availability of electrodes.

Ergonomic design and simulation-based evaluation of a new cashew nut sheller

ABSTRACT In India, the cashew nut shelling (CNS) is an important task in all small-scale cashew nut processing industries. Workers engaged in CNS task commonly operate pedal-operated cashew nut sheller (CNSR) in awkward standing posture that can contribute to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). However, investigations from an ergonomics perspective have barely been conducted in Indian small-scale cashew nut processing industries. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the postural workload in CNS task to propose an ergonomic design intervention in small-scale cashew nut processing industries. A combination of methods, including posture recording, postural assessment, interviews, questionnaire study, virtual prototyping, and digital human modeling and simulation, were used. Using the pedal-operated CNSR resulted in high-risk postures of MSDs. Based on these preliminary findings, a simple, improved, and adjustable hand-operated CNSR was designed and evaluated ergonomically. It was found that newly designed CNSR improved postures noticeably and provided comfort for workers.

A Case Study of Cashew Industry in Karnataka

Purpose: In the Indian food processing sector, the cashew nut processing industry plays a critical role. Often, the cashew is considered as ‘both a poor person’s crop and a rich person’s meal.’ From the cultivators, traders, wholesalers, processors to supermarkets and retailers, the cashew processing sector is a vital source of income. Cashew processing is a labour-intensive sector that has always employed a significant number of rural women. The purpose of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of the Cashew Processing Sector, its position in the world market, issues it is confronting and future prospects. While doing so, the present study attempts to examine the profile of the Indian Cashew Industry, including cashew processing and international trade. The quality, flavour and appearance of the Indian cashew kernels are highly respected in other nations and are consumed in more than 60 countries worldwide. Unfortunately, it was found that cashew production in India has been fluctuating in recent years. Despite its tremendous expansion, India’s cashew sector has been affected by low-quality cashew cultivated in some regions, which is mostly due to improper harvesting techniques, inadequate drying of the nuts and insufficient storage and warehouse facilities for dried cashew nuts. Design: For the purpose of analysis, this study used secondary data sources - Google Scholar articles, cashew industry and other related websites. Moreover, the literature is used to analyse the position of the industry within SWOC and PESTLE framework analysis. Findings: Based on the analysis, the cashew business needs certain incentives to attain a better rate of production and export growth in the future. Value: This paper emphases on the growth of the cashew industry in India in relation to its current status and future opportunities. Based on findings and their interpretation, the Indian Cashew Industry must prepare itself for the ever-increasing demand of the domestic market and contribute more effectively to the country’s economic growth. Paper Type: Case Study-based Research Analysis

TECHNO ECONOMIC STUDY OF LIQUID SMOKE FROM CASHEW NUT SHELL WASTE

Liquid smoke has a very large use, it is a result of condensation or condensation of pyrolysis vapor, directly or indirectly from wood materials such as cashew nut shells. Cashew nut shell is an abundant biomass of cashew nut processing industry but its utilization is not optimal. The purpose of this study was to make liquid smoke from cashew nut shell waste (technological aspect) and conduct economic analysis (economic aspect) to determine economic feasibility. Liquid smoke is made by pyrolysis at a temperature of 150-450oC in a simple batch type reactor. The results obtained were analyzed for its chemical components using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MC) spectrophotometer analysis. The largest liquid smoke production was obtained at a temperature of 450oC and a time of 2.5 hours with a yield of 19.46%. The main chemical components contained in liquid smoke are phenol (36.310%), acid (12.947%) and carbonyl (16.715%) respectively. With a liquid smoke production capacity of 200 tons per year, liquid smoke products can be sold at a price of IDR 3,620,137,785/years. Total Production cost 2,572,976,800/years. Annual net profit 733,012,689. Investigation of the economic feasibility of liquid smoke production, seen from the Rate of Rate on Investment, is 15.65%, Pay Out Time is 2.99 years and Break Event Point is 49.05%

Optimization of process temperature and time of vacuum drying for production of cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) powder using response surface methodology

Cashew apple is a waste from cashew nut processing industry that is high in antioxidants. The cashew apple powder was dried using a vacuum dryer that aimed to create a functional product containing high antioxidant compounds. The objective of this study was to optimize vacuum drying conditions for the production of cashew apple powder using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The effect of process temperature (55-65°C) and time (9-15 h) on some characteristics (vitamin C content, antioxidant activity, water content, and color changes) of cashew apple powder were analyzed. A Central Composite Design was used to develop models for the responses. The optimum condition of the vacuum drying process was obtained at a drying temperature of 60.1°C and drying time of 11.4 hours. The optimum combination resulted in cashew apple powder with vitamin C content of 118.5 mg/100g, antioxidant activity (IC50) of 70.6 ppm, water content of 11.4%, and total color difference (ΔE) of 8.8. A validation experiment was conducted at the obtained optimum condition and the results showed that no significant difference between the actual and predicted values based on paired t-test (p > 0.05). In conclusion, cashew apple powder is a good source of vitamin C and antioxidant compounds.

Long-chain phenols oxidation using a flow electrochemical reactor assembled with a TiO2-RuO2-IrO2 DSA electrode

The electrochemical degradation of long-chain phenols present in toxic residues from the cashew-nut processing industry was systematically investigated for the first time, using a flow electrochemical reactor assembled with a Ti/TiO2-RuO2-IrO2 DSA anode. After optimizing the current density (40 mA cm−2) and chloride concentration (0.028 mol L−1) in 0.5 mol L−1 Na2SO4 supporting electrolyte, it was achieved expressive total organic carbon (TOC) removal percentage for (un)saturated cardanol and cardol, either alone (85–92%) or in association/real industrial CNSL sample (82%), over 4 h of electrolysis. Evidently, the removal rate for the mixture changes (56–88% TOC removal) according to its starting concentration (0.005–0.100% residue), showing that the system performance can improve by increasing treatment time. Chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis showed that the first stage of the electrooxidation process was driven towards the formation of phenoxyl radicals, followed by the formation of polymeric dimers. These intermediates were continuously oxidized by different free and chemisorbed reactive species until obtaining short-chain organic acids, CO2 and H2O. The proposed system proved to be efficient, eco-friendly, and viable to treat industrial waste containing refractory phenolic compounds.

Value addition in cashew apple: A review

Cashew apple is a tropical fruit which is an important byproduct of the cashew nut processing industry. It can be consumed as fresh fruit, but also possess sensory and nutritional characteristics for food process industrialization, due to its fleshy pulp, soft peel, no seeds and strong exotic flavor. These fruits are being wasted across various parts of the cashew growing countries due to its short production period and high perishability. It is a less utilized product because of its astringent and acrid principles. Numerous quantities of cashew apple are being wasted annually because the focus was on nuts alone. There is a need to address these problems by developing a technique which is easily adoptable and cost effective. Also, the processing should not affect the quality of the product. Cashew apple and their products have a potential market in the domestic and international forum. Though there are some limitations, certain physical and chemical processing steps are to be followed to bring out quality and palatable cashew apple products with significant nutritive qualities. The value added products from cashew apple is a thrust area of research for food technologists, industrialists and farmers and of course these products are a definite alternate solution for nutritional source. Processing of cashew apple will turn out to be economic potential for farmers, entrepreneurs and consumers. In this present review, we discussed about the feasibility of production of various value added cashew apple processed foods.

Nanoemulsion of cashew nut shell liquid bio-waste: Mosquito larvicidal activity and insights on possible mode of action

Cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) shell liquid (CNSL) is a massive waste generated from the cashew nut processing industry. The Disposal of large volume of CNSL may become a concern in terms of ecological issues. CNSL is having insecticidal properties despite of this fact it has not been utilized to its full extent. CNSL is poorly soluble in water; in this context, we have utilized CNSL to develop a nanoemulsion for larvicidal applications; using spontaneous emulsification method. The monodispersed micelles of CNSL with mean diameter of 52 nm were produced. The comparative bioefficacy of bulk and nano CNSL was evaluated against the 3rd instar larva of Anopheles culicifacies, which was recorded with LC50 of 18.1 mg/L and 1.4 mg/L, respectively. Morphological damages to the larva post exposure to CNSL nanoemulsion were examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Histopathological examination revealed detailed mode of toxicity of nano CNSL on larva. The result obtained showed that the CNSL nanoemulsion has enhanced larvicidal activity compared to bulk CNSL which allows effective utilization of waste. The utilization of CNSL nanoemulsion may also resolve disposal related issues of massive waste generated by cashew nut industry. Such approach may be suitable for enhanced efficacy against mosquito vector, at lower doses and also contribute towards reduced use of synthetic pesticides.

Musculoskeletal Disorder Faced by Women Workers in Cashew Nut Processing Industries of North-East India

Musculoskeletal Disorder Faced by Women Workers in Cashew Nut Processing Industries of North-East India

A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Use in Major Agro-processing Industries in Nigeria

A comparative assessment of environmental impacts associated with the energy use in palm kernel oil production and cashew nut processing industries was carried out using life cycle assessment. One Kg of products from both industries was chosen as the functional unit. The gate – to – gate life cycle assessment results indicated that the total contribution per functional unit to global warming potential (GWP), abiotic depletion potential (ADP) and acidification potential (AP) were 50.2809 g of CO2 equivalents, 0.1524 g antimony equivalents and 0.1280 g of SO2 equivalents respectively for palm kernel oil production and 39.8350 g of CO2 equivalents, 0.1209 g antimony equivalents and 0.0957 g of SO2 equivalents respectively for cashew nut processing. The scenario-based results indicated substantial reductions for all the considered impact categories; approximately 18, 28 and 94% reductions were achieved for ADP, GWP and AP respectively for both industries when public power supply from the natural grid was the main energy source for agricultural production. Increasing the thermal efficiency of the nation’s existing power architecture resulted into 62 and 56% reductions for GWP and ADP respectively for the two industries, while additional 6 and 7% reductions were achieved for both impact categories when the transmission and distribution loss was maintained at 5%. The widespread adoption of clean and renewable energy sources, instead of over-reliance on electricity supply from the diesel-powered generator, has been identified as a feasible alternative towards achieving sustainability in the agro-processing industry.

Design and development of rapid and environment friendly conditioner for cashew nut processing

AbstractConventional hot air conditioning of cashew kernels before peeling is a time‐consuming operation causing environmental pollution. The aim of this research study was to design and develop a rapid and environment‐friendly cashew kernel conditioner and study the quality of the conditioned cashew kernels. Infrared heating was found suitable for rapid conditioning of cashew kernels, based on which a rapid conditioning machine was designed and developed. Drying kinetics study revealed that developed conditioner was suitable for rapid cashew kernel conditioning. Diffusivity values for conventional hot air and developed conditioning were found as 1.80 × 10−10 and 1.96 × 10−9 m2/s, respectively. Sensory evaluation study revealed no significant differences (p < .05) among differently conditioned cashew kernel samples. The well‐insulated conditioner was energy efficient (77.78%) and its operation had no harmful impact on the environment.Practical applicationsDeveloped infrared cashew kernel conditioner was found suitable for rapid cashew kernel conditioning. It is environmental friendly and energy efficient in operation. This developed conditioning machine would meet the requirement of cashew nut processing industries as suitable replacement of conventional hot air dryers. Processing time would get reduced significantly and the compact design would allow to accommodate the machine in less floor space. Developed machine is easy to operate for anyone with basic technical knowledge.

Utilization of Liquid Smoke Produced Through Sthe Pyrolysis of Cashew Nut Shells as Raw Materials For Varnish Manufacturing

Cashew nut shells is a waste in the cashew nut processing industry. The cashew nut shell is processed into liquid smoke by pyrolysis method. This liquid smoke can be used as a substitute for synthetic phenol. Phenol is the raw material of phenolic resin in the manufacture of varnish. This research aimed at determining the varnish characteristic obtained from the optimum condition of cashew nut shells pyrolysis by studying the effect of the addition of 0%, 10% and 20% commercial varnish at pyrolysis temperatures of 200 and 300°C. The results were obtained at 300° on 0% commercial varnish addition with the density of 1.0024 gr / ml, 1 hour pseudo drying time and 2.45 hours of hard drying time. After the addition of (10-20)% commercial varnish, it was found that the addition of 20% commercial varnish was the best condition in which volatile matterl rate, density, touch dry time and hard dry time were of 45.51%, 1.05 (g / ml), 2.55 hours and 5.35 hours, respectively. All characteristics were meeting the Indonesian National Standards (SNI) for varnish type A (for interior and exterior use). This research indicated that the liquid smoke produced from the pyrolysis of cashew nut shells was a potential alternative material to be used as compound or substitute phenol in varnish manufacture.

Performance of (in)active anodic materials for the electrooxidation of phenolic wastewaters from cashew-nut processing industry

This study investigated the anodic oxidation of phenolic wastewater generated by cashew-nut processing industry (CNPI) using active (Ti/RuO2-TiO2) and inactive (boron doped diamond, BDD) anodes. During electrochemical treatment, various operating parameters were investigated, such as current density, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phenols, O2 production, temperature, pH, as well as current efficiency and energy consumption. After electrolysis under optimized working conditions, samples were evaluated by chromatography and toxicological tests against L. sativa. When both electrode materials were compared under the same operating conditions, higher COD removal efficiency was achieved for BDD anode; achieving lower energy requirements when compared with the values estimated for Ti/RuO2-TiO2. The presence of Cl− in the wastewater promoted the electrogeneration of strong oxidant species as chlorine, hypochlorite and mainly hypochlorous acid, increasing the efficiency of degradation process. Regarding the temperature effect, BDD showed slower performances than those achieved for Ti/RuO2-TiO2. Chromatographic and phytotoxicity studies indicated formation of some by-products after electrolytic process, regardless of the anode evaluated, and phytotoxic action of the effluent. Results encourage the applicability of the electrochemical method as wastewater treatment process for the CNPI, reducing depuration time.

Technological capability building in Nigerian cashew nut processing industry

The study examined technological capabilities (TCs) in the cashew nut processing industry in Nigeria and its effects on industry performance. Data were collected from 128 staff of 20 purposively selected firms. A five-point Likert rating scale was adopted to assess TC, which includes investment, production and linkage capabilities. The results showed fair ability to carry out feasibility study, procure the right equipment and ability to negotiate contract terms. Overall, there was a significant difference (F = 32.32, p < 0.05) in the factors that constituted investment capability in the industry. Production capability in the industry was fairly adequate with mean ratings of abilities to improve on production process (3.56), product quality (3.07) and in-house equipment and machines (2.83). Linkage with knowledge institutions was low. The study concluded that there were some elements of investment, production and linkage capabilities in the cashew nut processing industry, and these capabilities influenced industry performance.

Technological capability building in Nigerian cashew nut processing industry

The study examined technological capabilities (TCs) in the cashew nut processing industry in Nigeria and its effects on industry performance. Data were collected from 128 staff of 20 purposively selected firms. A five-point Likert rating scale was adopted to assess TC, which includes investment, production and linkage capabilities. The results showed fair ability to carry out feasibility study, procure the right equipment and ability to negotiate contract terms. Overall, there was a significant difference (F = 32.32, p < 0.05) in the factors that constituted investment capability in the industry. Production capability in the industry was fairly adequate with mean ratings of abilities to improve on production process (3.56), product quality (3.07) and in-house equipment and machines (2.83). Linkage with knowledge institutions was low. The study concluded that there were some elements of investment, production and linkage capabilities in the cashew nut processing industry, and these capabilities influenced industry performance.

A Secondary Informal Circuit of Globalisation of Production: Home-based Cashew Workers in Kerala, India

&lt;p&gt;The paper contributes to the literature that examines the connections between local and global by extending the focus of cross-border production circuits to the hinterlands within the nation. A secondary informal circuit is conceptualised in order to argue how the informal sector is coexisting with the formal sector and contributing to the global market. For this purpose, the case of the cashew nut processing industry in Kerala, India, has been examined. The network of clandestine home-based cashew processors identified during the field study in Kerala illustrates the less visible local nodes of the global cashew circuit. The study also explores the informal workers’ restricted options and choices due to their gender, health issues, age and financial liabilities.&lt;/p&gt;