How to properly store nuts at home

Nuts are an energetically rich food that should be present in the diet of every person. You can harvest the crop only once a year, the rest of the time you just enjoy the fruits of your labor. If stored improperly, your favorite nuts can change their structure or even deteriorate. To prevent this from happening, they need to be placed in the right place: this way they can survive for up to a year.

How to choose the right nuts

Before choosing how to store whole and shelled nuts at home, you should choose them responsibly.

Purchase rules:

• Shake nuts before buying. If you hear a knock, it is better to refuse the purchase - the fruits are dry, which indicates that they have not been lying for a single year.
• The shell must be complete - cracks, holes and chips are unacceptable. It is highly likely that insects have already settled or laid the larvae inside.
• When purchasing shelled nuts, it is better to give preference to individually wrapped options. So they will not have time to dry out and will not lose their oily texture. The finer the grinding of the nut, the faster it will turn rancid - this should also be remembered when buying.
• Quality nuts have a uniform color. Dotted yellow spots indicate that the product has already deteriorated or has not been properly stored.
• It is absolutely necessary to abandon fruits with traces of mold - in the process of decomposition, toxic substances are formed in the nuts, which can provoke severe allergies.
• It is important to remember about seasonality - nuts ripen in late summer and early autumn, so do not expect fresh fruits in winter.

Sellers often give the product a try before buying. You need not be shy and choose a few nuts - this way you can choose the highest quality product.

Storage preparation

Before long-term storage, the nuts need to be sorted - choose the highest quality fruits without damaged shells. It is better to eat darkened or broken nuts right away - they will not be stored for several months.

Important! Nuts with raw shells are not stored for more than 2 weeks. They either need to be dried or put aside altogether.

Do I need to wash nuts before storing

You do not need to wash the nuts immediately before putting them in home storage - if the shells do not dry out, they will mold very quickly, and the middle will be affected. The most that can be done is to clean them from debris with a dry cloth.It is necessary to wash a nut (and peeled) only before eating it.

Storage conditions for different types of nuts

How to store nuts in accordance with GOST: whole - up to six months, peeled - no more than 2 months. Under the influence of sunlight, high temperatures and heating appliances, fruits deteriorate faster. It is necessary to create storage conditions based on the type of nuts, their country of origin and the general condition of the fruits.

Greek

Without loss of nutritional value, such a nut can be stored for up to two years. The only condition is compliance with the temperature regime. The optimal environment is from -5 to +15 degrees with a relative humidity of up to 60%. Walnuts should not be exposed to direct sunlight and high air temperatures, because the oils contained in the pulp can quickly turn rancid.

There are two ways to store them:

• Unrefined. The collected fruits must first be dried in the sun and placed in boxes or paper boxes. Cool cellars and storerooms are considered optimal for storage.
• In a purified form. Chopped nuts must be pre-washed and roasted in the oven at temperatures up to 180 degrees. This is done in order to destroy the spores of fungi and mold, which are often found in the kernel of the nut. Store them in hermetically sealed plastic containers.

If mold appears on the nuts during storage, they must be sorted out again, dried and decomposed in another place - drier and less humid.

Cedar

Of all the varieties, it is pine nuts that are famous for the shortest shelf life - up to 3 months for peeled and 6 for unpeeled fruits. They are stored mainly in the refrigerator: the fruits are laid out in sealed glass jars, into which extraneous odors cannot penetrate. Before storing pine nuts, it is advisable to dry well in open sunlight. 2-3 days is enough for this. Roasted nuts should be eaten within 3 days.

Macadamia

In the shell, the nuts can be stored for up to a year - provided that they lie in a dry and cool place. If there is a desire to store a purified product, it is better to use a vacuum apparatus - without air and, if stored in a refrigerator, they can lie for up to 3 months. An alternative storage method is in a glass jar with a tight lid or in a plastic container.

Brazilian nut

Fruits differ in storage duration - up to two years unpeeled. The only condition is the complete absence of sunlight and maximum coolness. It is much more difficult to preserve peeled kernels - they need to be kept exclusively in the refrigerator in an airtight container, because fruits very quickly absorb foreign odors. To preserve the original properties of the Brazil nut, it can be frozen. After thawing, the grain structure will not change.

Cashew

You need to store this type of nuts in a semi-dark room with a temperature of up to 10 degrees Celsius. A prerequisite is the presence of a sealed container that prevents fresh air from entering.Under the bright sun and with an influx of oxygen, cashews quickly become oily, acquire a rancid taste, and mold begins to appear on them. You can put the nuts in the refrigerator or freezer, where they can stay for up to six months. Before storage, cashews can be lightly calcined in the oven at a temperature of about 50 degrees.

Almond

These nuts stay fresh at almost any temperature all year round. Over time, they begin to dry out, but remain edible - no rancid taste is observed. Most often, almonds are sold peeled, so all that remains to be done is to place them in a glass jar or container and close the lid. Best of all, this nut is stored in a cool place - in a pantry or an insulated balcony.

Hazelnut

Provided the correct storage conditions are provided, this nut will retain its original taste for several years. It is better to choose containers for it from natural materials - glass or ceramics. Condensation often forms in plastic dishes, so the shelf life of nuts decreases: mold appears, taste changes for the worse. If there is a concern that the nut is raw, it must be roasted in the oven - no more than 10 minutes at a temperature of up to 180 degrees.

Pistachios

It is most convenient to store pistachios peeled - they take up less space. These nuts do not tolerate high temperatures and bright light, so they should be stored away from heat sources, preferably in the refrigerator. Another risk factor is high humidity, under the influence of which the nuts will quickly become moldy. It is best to place them in sealed boxes or jars. Under these conditions, peeled pistachios will retain their freshness and excellent taste for 2-3 months.

Peanut

Store these nuts in a cool, dark place. Humidity is of great importance: if it is increased, the peanuts quickly grow moldy, if it is low, it dries out. Both unpeeled and peeled fruits must be dried well before storing - in the oven or outdoors. Peanuts are stored for the longest time at minimum temperatures, therefore, it is considered optimal to store it in the refrigerator.

Chestnut and pecan

Before storing the nuts, you need to prepare - peel them from the shell, remove it from all gaps. This stage is very important, because the husk has a bright bitter taste that will ruin the impression of the nut. After processing, the pecans should be dried in the open air for 2-3 days. During this time, the pulp will dry out naturally, which will improve its taste. By placing the nuts in an airtight container and a darkened place, they can be stored for about a week, in the refrigerator for a month, and in the freezer for a year.

Nutmeg

Both whole nuts and ground powder should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. If the conditions are met, the shelf life of the ground product is 6 months, whole - more than 1 year. But it is not recommended to freeze nutmeg - the product will lose its aroma and taste. Nut spices are very afraid of moisture, so the jar with them must be tightly closed after use.

Coconut

This type of nut belongs to the category of perishable - it is not stored for more than a few days.In its entirety, it can be stored for up to 1 month - provided that the room is cool and not exposed to direct sunlight. A cut coconut can be stored for 2-5 days. Then the pulp begins to dry out, and its taste changes for the worse. In order to at least slightly extend the shelf life of the product, wrap the cut nut with cling film and put it in the refrigerator.

How to store nuts with additives

Sweet, salty with honey and sugar ... These nuts are very popular among children and adults. When buying this delicacy for future use, you should remember that it has a limited shelf life - no more than 1 week in the refrigerator. Then the taste of the nuts begins to weaken and only the taste of the additive itself remains.

What to store

The easiest way is to place the nuts in plastic containers that ensure maximum tightness inside. Sometimes condensation forms on the walls of such dishes, provoking the appearance of mold and the onset of putrefactive processes. The best option is glass or ceramic bowls.

The latter even provide a small air flow to prevent the nuts from suffocating. When choosing what to store nuts at home, you need to take into account the temperature regime of the room - if it is relatively cool there, plastic containers will come in handy.

Can I keep nuts in the refrigerator?

At temperatures from 0 to +7 degrees, the nuts do not lose their properties, and their shelf life is extended by several months. During storage, the container must be periodically opened and the state of the nuts must be viewed: if they are "sweating", they must be taken out of the refrigerator, dried well, and then put into the selected container again.

All fruits, except cashews, are subject to long-term storage of nuts at home. The most important thing is to choose the optimal conditions for them - temperature regime, the ratio of illumination and humidity. It will not be superfluous to periodically check the condition of the nuts, removing spoiled fruits from the box or container.

Video: harvesting and proper storage of walnuts