Brazil Nuts Technical Information Brazil Nuts 1

Brazil Nuts Technical Information Brazil Nuts 1. General Information

The Brazil nut, the edible seed of the Brazil nut tree, is a triangular nut 1which Brazil Nuts / General Information comes from the Amazonian rainforest. They are collected mainly by natives from wild trees in the forest since there are no economically viable plantations. Today the largest producer of Brazil nuts is Bolivia, representing about 75% of world total production, followed by Peru and Brazil. These nuts are consumed directly (raw, salted, roasted, etc.) or as an ingredient in chocolate and cereal bars, cakes or biscuits, as well as in a variety of recipes.

The Brazil nut tree, Bertholletia excelsa, family Lecithidaceae, is one of the most important economic plants of the Amazonian forest due to its valuable edible seeds, commonly known as Brazil nuts. It is one of the tallest trees of the Amazon Basin’s tropical rainforest, reaching up to 50 m in height, and can reach an age of 1,000 years. Its straight cylindrical unbranched trunk has a rough gray-brown bark with S.A. © Tahuamanu longitudinal fissures and its canopy may have a diameter of 20-30 m.

Nearly all Brazil nuts come from natural forests. They represent one of the most important non-timber forest products and have an important role in the preservation of the Amazonian rainforest. The nuts are an important source of income for the local communities, which depend directly or indirectly on the Brazil nut trade.

Brazil nuts have a tender, rich and mild flavor and can be used for direct consumption, as a snack, or used as an ingredient in chocolate bars, cakes or biscuits. © Tahuamanu S.A. © Tahuamanu

Brazil Nuts / 1. General Information

Overview of Brazil Nut Production

The Brazil nut is the most economically important plan product that is sustainably harvested in the Amazonian rainforest. Close to 70% of the world’s supply comes from the Pando region, an area that represents only 3% of the Amazon forest.

On average, world Brazil nut production was 24,350 metric tons annually during the period 2013/14-2017/18. Bolivia, with 19,000 MT, accounted for 78% of world production, followed by Peru Main Brazil Nut Growing Areas. Source: INC (16% share) and Brazil (6% share).

Seasons

Brazil nuts are almost exclusively harvested in natural forests, making them one of the most important products of extractive reserves in Amazonia. Although some plantations have been developed, the production is still low and not economically viable.

Brazil nut flowers during the dry season with the greatest intensity in October-December. Since Brazil nut trees are angiosperms, their flowers need to be pollinated by specific bees. Once the flower has been pollinated, the fruit takes 15 months to maturate, so the fruit starts to fall at the beginning of the rainy season (January - February).

Southern Collecting Hemisphere Flowering Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

The chart shows the most common flowering and harvesting months in eastern Amazonia. However, as the Brazil nut flowers during the dry season, the fruit takes 15 months to maturate and falls during the wet season, flowering and collecting times vary depending on the area.

The fruit of the Brazil nut tree is a large, round capsule (10-12 cm in both diameters), with a hard, woody capsule wall. Each fruit (pod) weighs 0.5-2.5 kg and contains 10-25 seeds, which have a hard shell and triangular shape (three-sided) of about 3.5-5 cm long and 2 cm wide. The outer woody casing is so hard that only one animal, the agouti, can crack it open with its sharp, chisel-like teeth. The survival of Brazil nut trees is dependent on bees, which help pollination, and agouti, which help the dispersal

South American agouti. Wikimedia. Benard. Source: Author: Pierre S.A. © Tahuamanu of seeds.

Sources: • Arrus, K., Blank, G., Clear, R., Holley, R. A., & Abramson, D. (2005). Microbiological and aflatoxin evaluation of Brazil nut pods and the effects of unit processing operations. Journal of food protection, 68(5), 1060-1065. • Clay, J. W., & Clement, C. R. (1993). Selected species and strategies to enhance income generation from Amazonian forests. Rome: Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations. • Mori, S. A. (1992). The Brazil nut industry-past, present and future. Sustainable harvest and marketing of rain forest products, 241-251. • Taitson B. (2007). Harvesting nuts improving lives in Brazil. WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). http://wwf.panda.org/?92320/Harvesting-nuts-improving-lives-in-Brazil

Copyright © INC International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, August 2019. www.nutfruit.org Brazil Nuts 2. Products Brazil Nuts / Products The Brazil nut tree produces round pods with a hard, woody wall which contains2 10-25 angular seeds (nuts) protected by a hard shell. Brazil nuts are a great snack (raw or processed) and a good ingredient to complement pastries, salads, ice creams and yogurts. They are high in unsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin E, thiamin and minerals such as selenium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and manganese. They are also a source of calcium and iron.

Brazil nuts are a delicious nut with a tender, rich and mild flavor. They can be consumed directly as a NUTRIENTS IN 100 g OF DRIED snack or in mixed-ingredient snacks without further UNBLANCHED BRAZIL NUTS processing, salting, sugaring, flavoring or roasting. Energy 659 kcal They also combine perfectly with confectionary and Proteins 14.32 g baked goods. Brazil nuts are easily adaptable to many Saturated fat 16.134 g different dishes. Monounsaturated fat 23.879 g Polyunsaturated fat 24.399 g Of all nuts, Brazil nuts contain the highest amount of Carbohydrate 11.74 g magnesium (376 mg/100 g). Moreover, they contain more selenium (1,917 µg /100 g) than any other food. Fiber 7.5 g In fact, a Brazil nut kernel (5 g) provides 95.8 µg of Calcium 160 mg selenium and the Recommended Dietary Allowance Selenium 1,917 µg (RDA) of selenium for both men and women is 55 µg/ Phosphorus 725 mg day (1,2). Magnesium 376 mg Zinc 4.06 mg When crushed, Brazil nuts produce a clear yellowish Potassium 659 mg oil which is attractive for culinary uses and for the Vitamin E 5.65 mg manufacture of soaps, shampoos, hair conditioning products, as well as for skin-care products, since it Thiamin 0.617 mg acts as a good moisturizer. Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference 1 Release April, 2018

Brazil Nuts / 2. Products

Used as a Snack Examples of Brazil Nut Snacks Commercialized Raw Brazil nuts Brazil nuts in nut and dried fruit mixtures Chocolate-coated Brazil nuts Roasted and salted Brazil nuts

Uses as an Ingredient Baked Goods Industry Brazil nuts are a good ingredient in bread, cookies, cakes and pastries. Confectionary Industry Brazil nuts are used as an ingredient in chocolates and chocolate bars. Recipes Salads, rice, vegetable dishes, smoothies. Spreads Brazil-nut butter.

Uses as an Oil Oil Industry The oil made from Brazil nuts can be raw used or for cooking. Its nutty flavor and aroma are perfect for a variety of foods and recipes and make it great for drizzling on salads. Cosmetic The oil obtained from Brazil nuts can be used in cosmetic products such as moisturizing milk and shampoo.

Sources: (1) USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference 1 Release April, 2018. (2) U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. https://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK225470/

Copyright © INC International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, August 2019. www.nutfruit.org Brazil Nuts 3. Varieties & Forms Brazil Nuts / Varieties & Forms Brazil Nuts / Varieties Brazil nuts are mainly marketed as shelled nuts. Due to their delicate 3buttery taste and smooth texture, they are excellent as a snack but can also be found chopped, in baked goods, salads and different recipes.

1. Whole Kernels:

According to the UNECE Standard DDP-271, whole kernels can be sized as follows:

Large size

Size Code Kernels per kg Kernels per lb Large or Giants 176 - 242 80 - 110 Mediums 242 - 286 110 - 130 Smalls 308 - 352 140 - 160 Midgets 352 - 396 160 - 180 Medium size Tiny 396 - 484 180 - 220

1Organizations, such as the US Association of Food Industries Inc. (AFI), have developed industry standards available on the internet: AFI Specifications for Shelled Brazil Nuts. https://www.afius.org/AFI-Food-Standards Midget size

Some applications: • Raw, roasted (salted or unsalted) and coated snacks. • Nut and dried fruit mixtures.

Tiny size Pictures by courtesy of Tahuamanu S.A.

Brazil Nuts / 3. Varieties & Forms

2. Pieces: Some applications: • Snacking • Baking • Cooking

Brazil nut pieces

3. Flour/Meal: Some applications: • Baking • Cooking

Brazil nut meal

4. Paste: Some applications: • Snacking • Baking

5. Oil: Some applications: • Cosmetic products: moisturizing milk, shampoo, etc.

Sources: • UNECE STANDARD DDP-27 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of Brazil nut kernels, 2013 Edition. • Pictures by courtesy of Tahuamanu S.A.

4. Processing Brazil Nuts / Processing Brazil nuts are collected from the ground during the rainy season. Thus,4 it is important to pick them up as soon as possible in order to protect them from heat and humidity, which can jeopardize their quality. Residual pods from the former crop should never be mixed with pods from the present crop. Their transportation to the storage facility should be also completed as soon as possible.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROCESSING, PACKAGING, AND STORAGE

PROCESSING

Processing Brazil nuts into kernels comprises the following steps (Figure 1): cylinder pre-drying, sorting conveyor belt, in-shell size sorting, thermal shock (autoclave), drying, shelling, grading, oven drying, hand sorting/selection and packaging. © Red River Foods After the Brazil nut pods have been collected, they are cut open with a machete or axe. Damaged and empty pods should be removed. The nuts (10-25 per pod) are stored in jute bags and transported to a shelling facility via truck or boat.

The nuts must be dried as soon as possible to minimize the development of mold growth and, therefore, the incidence of aflatoxins. It is recommended to dry the nuts within 10 days of collection.

Once in the facility, the in-shell Brazil nuts are pre-dried before being pre-sorted by visual inspection in order to remove the damaged and diseased nuts. After that, they are classified by size with vibratory screens. © Red River Foods

Before shelling, the in-shell nuts are passed through a steam autoclave process to loosen the inner kernels from the outer shell, which reduces the number of nuts broken during the cracking process. They are mechanically (although sometimes manually) cracked and the shells are usually removed by hand.

The shelled nuts are then graded by size (large, medium, small, midget and tiny) and quality (Class I, Class II and Class III) or as per the customer’s quality requirements. They are then further oven-dried to a moisture content of about 5% to stabilize them and produce a great-tasting finished product.

Brazil Nuts / 4. Processing

STORAGE According to the Codex Alimentarius, storage Brazil nut facilities should be clean and dry (if possible, pods with a relative humidity < 70%), well-ventilated structures should provide protection from rain, entry of rodents and birds, drainage of ground Opening water and have minimum temperature and humidity fluctuations. If possible, the temperature should be kept between 0 ºC and 10 ºC to Brazil nuts minimize fungal growth during storage. (in-shell)

Good storage practices should be implemented Cylinder to minimize the incidence of insects and fungi pre-drying

© Red River Foods in storage facilities. This may include: the use of suitable, registered insecticides and fungicides or Sorting Foreign matter appropriate alternative methods, and the control conveyor belt Inadequate nuts of moisture content and temperature, if required. In-shell size sorting

PACKAGING Thermal shock (autoclave) Modern packaging employs laminated plastic bags which are vacuum-sealed. Bag sizes vary from 20 Drying to 50 kg. The introduction of nitrogen gas into the package enables better conservation of quality.

Shelling Shell According to the UNECE Standards DDP-26 and DDP-27, concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of in-shell Brazil nuts and Brazil nuts Brazil nut kernel © Tahuamanu S.A. © Tahuamanu kernels, respectively, they must be packed in such a way as to properly protect the produce. Grading The materials used inside the package must be clean and of a quality such as to avoid causing any external or internal damage to the produce. The use Oven drying of materials, particularly of paper or stamps bearing trade specifications, is allowed, provided the printing or labeling has been done with non-toxic ink or glue. Hand sorting

Packaging TRANSPORT

According to the Codex, transport containers Figure 1. This flow chart gives an overview of should be clean, dry and free of visible fungal the steps involved in growth, insects and any contaminated material. The processing Brazil nuts but does not include containers should be well constructed to withstand many of the additional food safety steps handling abuse without breaking or puncturing, and undertaken by shellers and processors. © Tahuamanu S.A. © Tahuamanu tightly sealed to prevent the entry of any dust, fungal spores, insects or other foreign material.

Sources: • Arrus, K., Blank, G., Clear, R., Holley, R. A., & Abramson, D. (2005). Microbiological and aflatoxin evaluation of Brazil nut pods and the effects of unit processing operations. Journal of food protection, 68(5), 1060-1065. • Clay, J. W., & Clement, C. R. (1993). Selected species and strategies to enhance income generation from Amazonian forests. Rome: Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations. • Codex Alimentarius. Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of aflatoxin contamination in tree nuts. (CAC/RCP 59-2005). • UNECE STANDARD DDP-26 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of inshell Brazil nuts, Edition 2013. • UNECE STANDARD DDP-27 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of Brazil nut kernels, Edition 2013.

To ensure the safety of Brazil nuts, international growers and processors are

5Brazil Nuts / Quality Requirements developing a wide range of good agricultural, manufacturing and storage practices. Brazil nuts should be produced with consideration for quality control and international food safety standards. Careful practices have been established to control the chemical, microbiological, pesticide and contaminant content.

Quality - Minimum Requirements (UNECE)

IN-SHELL BRAZIL NUTS BRAZIL NUTS KERNELS Whole Product: Kernel: • sound • intact (kernel is considered as whole with < 25% • free from visible mold filaments missing) • free from living pests • sound • free from damage caused by pests (including • clean (practically free of foreign matter) their presence, debris or excreta) • sufficiently developed (desiccated, dried out or • free of abnormal external moisture tough portions < 25% of the kernel) • free of foreign smell and/or taste • free from blemishes, areas of discoloration, yellowing, fat diffusion or spread stains (≤ 20% Shell: of the surface of the kernel) • intact (slight superficial damage is not • well formed considered a defect) • free from living pests • clean (adhering hull ≤ 10% of the total shell • free from damage caused by pests (including surface) their presence, debris or excreta) • free from blemishes, areas of discoloration or • free from visible mold filaments spread stains (≤ 20% of the surface of the shell) • free from rancidity • well formed • free of abnormal external moisture • free of foreign smell and/or taste Kernel: • free from rancidity • sufficiently developed • free from blemishes, areas of discoloration, oil stains or spread stains (≤ 20% of the surface of the kernel)

Brazil Nuts / 5. Quality Requirements

SOME CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS

UNECE Association of Food Industries (AFI) Chemical Moisture Whole nut ≤ 12% Between 1.5% - 6.0% Kernel ≤ 4.5% Free fatty acids - ≤ 0.5% Peroxide value - ≤ 10 mg/kg

Microbiological E. coli - Negative1 Salmonella - Negative2 1BAM, 1984, 6th Ed., pp. 7.01-7.18 2BAM, 1984, 6th Ed., pp. 5.01-5.07

CONTAMINANTS International Maximum Levels for Aflatoxins in Brazil Nuts: Aflatoxin B1 Total Aflatoxins Country (ppb) (B1-B2-G1-G2) (ppb) Source 20 (in-shell RTE) Brazil 10 (shelled RTE) Resolução Nº7, de 18 de fevereiro de 2011. Ministério da Saúde da Brasil. 15 (shelled FP) Government of Canada. List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods. Canada 15 (RTE & FP) Updated on September 17, 2018. 10 (RTE) Codex Alimentarius. General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed Codex 15 (FP) (CODEX STAN 193-1995). Last amended 2018. 5 (RTE) 10 (RTE) EU 8 (FP) 15 (FP) Commission Regulation (EU) Nº 165/2010. 10 (RTE) India 15 (FP) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). USA 20 (RTE & FP) U.S. Food and Drug Administration Compliance Policy Guides (CPG) Sec. 555.400.

RTE: ready-to-eat. FP: for further processing.

QUALITY ASSURANCE The following programs are endorsed by the industry: • Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), which provide growers guidelines and principles to apply for on-farm production and post- production processes, to provide safe and healthy nuts, minimizing potential hazards, such as pathogens, contaminants and pest- management materials. • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), which define procedures to be used in the processing, packaging, storing and transport stages by handlers to ensure the quality of the product. GMPs are used by handlers to treat Brazil nuts under the best sanitary conditions. • Good Storage Practices (GSP), which provide procedures that should be in place in the post-harvest, processing and transport stages by handlers to control the moisture content and temperature and to minimize the levels of fungi (especially aflatoxins) and insects. • Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), which provides a systematic preventive approach to food safety that identifies, assesses and controls the risk of biological, chemical and physical hazards in production processes. © Tahuamanu S.A. © Tahuamanu S.A. © Tahuamanu

Sources: • Association of Food Industries (AFI) Specifications for Shelled Brazil Nuts. • UNECE STANDARD DDP-26 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of inshell Brazil nuts, Edition 2013. • UNECE STANDARD DDP-27 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of Brazil nut kernels, Edition 2013.

Copyright © INC International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, August 2019. www.nutfruit.org Brazil Nuts 6. Standards and Grades These standards and grades apply to in-shell Brazil nuts and Brazil nut kernels of6 varieties (cultivars) grown from Bertholletia excels (L.). Both Brazil nuts in-shell and kernels are classified Brazil Nuts / Standards and Grades Brazil Nuts / Standards based on the defects allowed.

The following is extracted from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Standard DDP-26 and DDP-27 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of in- shell Brazil nuts and Brazil nut kernels, respectively. These UNECE Standards were created by the Specialized Section on Standardization of Dry and Dried Produce of the UNECE with the help and recommendations of the INC.

Companies may set quality standards of their own1. This kit merely gives the UNECE Standards as the internationally recognized minimum requirements for dry and dried produce. UNECE Standards are voluntary and operators are free to choose which standards they use in their business practice, subject to national regulations.

Classification

Classification is made according to the defects allowed, which are listed in the following tables.

IN-SHELL BRAZIL NUTS Tolerances allowed* Defects allowed Class I Class II Class III (a) Tolerances for produce not satisfying the minimum requirements, of which no more than: 7 10 15 Not sufficiently developed or empty shells 1 2 3 Cracked/punctures 1 2 3 Broken/split shells 1 1 2 Moldy 3 3 5 Rancid or slight foreign flavor, rotting or deterioration 1 1 2 Damaged by pests 1 2 2 Living pests 0 0 0 Oil stains 2 3 3 (b) Size tolerances (if sized) For produce not conforming to the size indicated, in total 10 10 10 (c) Tolerances for other defects Foreign matter, loose shells, shell fragments, fragments of hull, dust (by weight) 1 2 2

*Percentage of defective in-shell Brazil nuts by number or weight.

Brazil Nuts / 6. Standards and Grades

BRAZIL NUT KERNELS Tolerances allowed* Defects allowed Class I Class II Class III (a) Tolerances for produce not satisfying the minimum requirements, of which no more than: 8 12 15 Not sufficiently developed, shrunken and shriveled 1 1 2 Moldy 1 2 2 Rancid or foreign smell or taste rotting or deterioration 1 2 3 Damaged by pests 1 1 2 Living pests 0 0 0 Blemishes, areas of discoloration, yellowing, brown center, of which no more than: 5 5 5 Scorched - due to overheating while drying 1 1 1 Fat diffusion or spread stains 1 1 1 Superficial damage, chipped 5 5 5 Broken 1 3 5 Pieces 1 2 2 Adhering shell 1 2 3 (b) Size tolerances (if sized) For produce not conforming to the size indicated, in total 10 10 10 (c) Tolerances for other defects Foreign matter, loose shells, shell fragments, fragments of hull, dust (by weight) 0.5 1 1

*Percentage of defective Brazil nut kernels by number or weight.

Sizing IN-SHELL BRAZIL NUTS (by minimum diameter) Sizing is optional in all classes. However, when sized, in-shell Brazil nut size is deter- Size Code Diameter (mm) Diameter (inches) mined by the minimum diameter or by the Extra large > 31 mm >78/64 number of units/pieces per unit of weight. Large 29 - 31 mm 73/64 - 78/64 In the case of Brazil nut kernels, size is Medium 23 - 29 mm 59/64 - 73/64 determined by the number of units/pieces IN-SHELL BRAZIL NUTS (by number units/pieces per unit of weight) per unit of weight. Size Code Nuts per kg Nuts per lb Extra large 88 - 99 40/45 Large 101 - 110 46/50 Medium 112 - 143 51 - 65

BRAZIL NUT KERNELS (by number units/pieces per unit of weight) Size Code Kernels per kg Kernels per lb Large or Giants 176 - 242 80 - 110 Mediums 242 - 286 110 - 130 Smalls 308 - 352 140 - 160 Midgets 352 - 396 160 - 180 Tiny 396 - 484 180 - 220

1Organizations, such as the US Association of Food Industries Inc. (AFI), have developed industry standards for the US imports, which are available online: AFI Specifications for Shelled Brazil Nuts. https://www.afius.org/AFI-Food-Standards Sources: • UNECE STANDARD DDP-26 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of inshell Brazil nuts, Edition 2013. • UNECE STANDARD DDP-27 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of Brazil nut kernels, Edition 2013.