<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Chironji</i> nut (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Buchanania lanzan)</i> processing, present practices and scope<span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> </span>

Abstract

202-204Buchanania lanzan (Chironji) is a tree species which belongs to the family Anacardiaceae and is commercially very useful. The fruit of chironji contains a hard nut that on decortication yields kernel containing about 52% oil. The kernel oil is used mostly in the cosmetic manufacturing and as a substitute for olive and almond oil while the whole kernel is used in sweet-meals as a substitute for almond kernel. Although, the chironji nuts and kernels have been used extensively but there is no machinery for processing of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">chironji nut. At present shelling of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">chironji nut is done manually and some time by locally made machine. This traditional process involves soaking in the water for 24 hrs, skin removal by hand rubbing followed by drying. Dried nut is broken by rubbing between a pair of stone-slab or hammer followed by separation of kernel from the hull. In some areas local artesian developed motorized machines for breaking and separating, but the machines were not specifically designed. So they are again manually separating. Therefore there is need for developing the machinery for chironji decorticating