Pistachio Processing Operations

Almost all of the procedures are done through a production line with machines except at the very end where pistachios are packed and sealed by hand.

 

A. Peeling

   First, the pistachio truss is separated from the nuts by machines, and then the peeling of
   the nuts begins.
 
 

B. Washing
  After the pistachios are peeled, the nuts go through a washing cycle.
 

C. Water Tank

   The goal of this phase is to separate the immature and damaged nuts having low
    weights by means of having the pistachios float in the water. The healthy and
    heavier pistachios are collected at the bottom of the water tank. 

D. Separation

   The good quality pistachios and the lower quality ones are separated.

 

E. Dehumidification
   In this phase the excess moisture is removed from the product. 

 

F. Sorting
   Before the pistachios enter the dryers, the remaining paltry and unwanted parts including
   nuts with improper colors and unpeeled nuts are removed.
 
 

G. Drying Pistachios
   Hot air heating machines are used to dry pistachios. These machines make it possible to
   dry the pistachios quickly and without contamination. The duration of the drying process
   depends on the temperature, speed of airflow, and depth of the pistachio pile. 
   
 

H. Cooling

   Pistachios are then stored in silos and cooled.

 

I. Separation of open and closed-mouth nuts

   At this stage, naturally open-mouth pistachio nuts are separated from closed-mouth
   ones.

 

J. Sorting and storage of naturally open-mouth pistachios

   Open-mouth pistachios are sorted at this stage for size and quality and then stored for
   future shipment. Workers handle the final stage manually where the pistachios are
   packaged for shipment. 
   

K. Closed-mouth pistachios

   These pistachios serve three very different purposes:

1-      They are packed and shipped as they are for the final buyer to process them as they please in their own facilities.

2-      They are mechanically opened and sold as a lower quality pistachio.

3-      Pistachio kernels and green kernels. By mechanically opening of the closed-mouth pistachios and the peeling of the hard shell we get pistachio kernels, and by double peeling we get the green kernels.

 

L. Roasting

   Roasting of pistachios is done to each customer’s requirements by a separate
   production line.

 

M. Packing

   Raw or roasted pistachios are packed in 50 kg double PP bags.

   Pistachio kernels and green kernels are packed in 10 kg plastic bags and then into
   a cardboard box.