Physical and mechanical properties of cashew seeds (Anacardium occidentale) cultivated in the Cuenca del Papaloapan, Veracruz, México

Abstract

The Anacardium occidentale tree is known as cashew and the fruit as cashew nut or cashew nut, which is in turn the seed and is inside a hard shell is native mainly from Brazil and Venezuela. However, in Mexico it grows in the southeast due to the type of tropical climate adaptable for its cultivation. The objective of this work was to determine the physical and mechanical properties of the seeds by considering: length (l), width (b), thickness (t), mass (Ms), volume (V), geometric diameter (Dg), arithmetic diameter (Da), geometric shape (Sφ), porosity (ε), surface area (Sa), specific surface area (Ss), hydration (Hc), hydration index (Hi), swelling (Sc), swelling index (Hi), solid density(ps), bulk density (pb), angle of repose (∅), coefficient of friction (μ) and rupture force (Rf). The values obtained were: length (l), 25.599 mm (range 10.515-37.084); width (b), 12.249 mm (range 7.416-23.926) and thickness (t), 11.851 mm (range 7.13-19.812). The arithmetic diameter, geometric diameter and volume corresponded to 1.656 cm, 1.245 cm and 0.015 cm³ respectively. The results of this study provide a useful information base for the design of industrial equipment necessary for the handling, storage and transportation of walnuts.