About Pecans
A pecan's name comes from the native Algonquian word meaning "a nut that requires a stone to crack." The pecan nut is consumed as-is and used as an ingredient in baked goods and confections. Pecans are a good source of protein, the antioxidants and plant sterols pecan nuts contain may also improve cholesterol status by reducing the "bad" LDL cholesterol levels. Despite only having commercially produced the nut since the 1880s, U.S. growers now provide roughly 90 percent of the world's pecans, with an annual crop of about 200 million pounds worth about $400 million dollars.
World-wide consumption of low-fat and healthy foods is increasing as more people are recognizing the need for a healthy lifestyle. The search for foods that contribute to a healthy diet and that aid in disease prevention has led to the identification of plant foods that have important phytonutrients, micronutrients, proteins, fiber and sterols. Edible tree nuts are such foods, since they contain nutrients that work independently or in harmony with other foods.
Before the early 1920's, pecans were hand-shelled by consumers. Then with the widespread development of commercial shelling equipment, the pecan industry began to really grow. Pecan processing was developed, along with the equipment used for sizing nuts, separation of faulty meats and shells, cracking, grading of meats, drying and packaging. Improvements in areas such as temperature and humidity control have also contributed to the increasing popularity of pecans.
Since about 1948 more than 80% of the pecans sold have been processed as shelled nuts. Most shelling plants operate in the fall months. Some of the largest processing pecan plants can have as many as 14 cracking machines with a capacity of over 150,000 pounds a day and over 30 million pounds each pecan season.
Pecans are cracked by a special machine that applies force to both ends of each nut. The cracked pecans are then placed on a conveyer, where they are moved to the Sheller machines. Meats and shells are separated by a series of shaker screens. The shelled pecans are then separated out into grades as the pieces pass over rapidly vibrating machines with holes of many different sizes.
After sorting the moisture in the pecans is reduced by rapidly circulating dry air through the pecan meats. Unshelled pecans are usually kept refrigerated as soon as possible after the harvest to help maintain freshness. Freezing pecans to keep them fresh from season to season is an excellent method for storage. With proper chill there is almost no detectable decrease in the pecans nutrition or taste quality.
About the Author
Victoria Gates is a proud supporter of small American businesses such as the 5-Generation family run Pearson Farm. Pearson Farm has met the audit standards established under the Georgia GP Food Safety Program. You can find out more about their operations and location by visiting http://www.pearsonfarm.com on the web.
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