Delicious Fact: Why Cashew nuts so expensive and everything about its risky extraction

Cashews are one of the most delicious nuts around the world, but did you know that these are also one of the most expensive ones? No wonder gorging on roasted, salted or plain cashews is pure bliss, but what makes this rich, crunchy, silky nut so expensive?

While the inclination towards veganism has led to an increase in the demand of nuts and nut butters, however, it is surprising to see how peanuts and cashews have a similar creamy texture, but the price of cashews are almost five times the price of peanuts. Here’s all you need to know about your favourite Kaju (cashews) and what makes it so expensive?

Cashews are loved for their taste and texture, but the process of extraction is so difficult and dangerous that it can be hazardous, if touched with bare hands. Cashews are usually grown in tropical regions of India, Vietnam, Ivory coast and Srilanka.

Cashew seeds are surrounded by a shell that contains toxic oils known as Anacardic acid. The pepper-like looking shells are extracted manually, which makes the extraction process even more difficult. Anacardic acid is usually found in poison ivy.

The cashew tree hails from the same family of poison ivy, which makes the secretion from cashew shell so poisonous and much like poison ivy the cashew plants contain a compound called Urushiol. This compound is found in the brown oil inside the cashew shell. In fact, it is so hazardous that it can cause blisters, burns and allergic reactions. This is the reason why eating unprocessed cashews can be dangerous and fatal in some cases. Cashews need proper processing in order to make them edible, but most of the extraction and processing is done manually, which makes this task tough!

Each cashew fruit has one seed, which is plucked manually and segregated with hands. Then these seeds are sun dried and to help them dry quickly caustic liquid is used. However, one of the most dangerous things about this process is opening the shell which releases the poisonous oils and the reason this is done manually is simply to ensure that the nuts are not broken in the process of extraction.

For ages the processing of cashews was done manually, but over the years with advancement in technology there are machines that help in breaking the shells and removing the toxin oils that too without breaking the nuts. Cashews are then roasted to eliminate any traces of toxins and the last process is done entirely by hands which involves removing of husk that contain tannins, which needs expertise and this is another reason why the processing of cashews cannot be completely automated, most of the steps involve manpower. Thus, making this nut one of the most expensive nuts in the world.