Walnuts
While grown in many countries around the world, California, with its mild climate and deep fertile soils, provides ideal growing conditions for the English walnut, produces 99% of the total U.S. crop and 2/3 of the world's trade. The walnut is a versatile ingredient nut. In manufactured food products, walnuts positively impact product flavor, texture, mouth feel, nutritional value, and stability. Walnuts are extremely functional in a wide variety of food processes: freezing, baking, broiling, refrigeration, frying and micro waving.
Walnuts are sorted into 8 sizes. Walnuts are sized over round hole screens expressed in 1/64î. These sizes range from 12/64î to 52/64.
Sizing
| Walnut Halves | 7/8 or more of the kernel is intact. 85% or more of lot, by weight, are half kernels with the remainder three-fourths half kernels. |
| Walnut Pieces and Halves | 20% or more of lot, by weight, are half kernels (7/8 or more of the kernel is intact). |
| Walnut Pieces | Portions of kernels in lot cannot pass through 24/64 inch round opening. |
| Walnut Medium Pieces | Although not covered in USDA Standards, Medium Pieces are a common size classification used in the California walnut industry. No less than 98% may pass through a 32/64-inch screen. |
| Walnut Small Pieces | Portions of kernels in lot pass through 24/64 inch round openings but cannot pass through a 8/64 inch round opening. |
| Walnut Meal | The smallest form of the walnut comes in various consistencies ranging from a coarse meal to a fine powder. Use walnut meal to dust cakes, use in dough and batter, and for walnut compounds. Finely ground walnut are incorporated into pastas, added to fillings and used as a thickening agent in sauces. |
| Topping Pieces | Portions of lot pass through 20/64 inch round opening. |
| Syrupers | Portions of lot pass through 28/64 inch round opening. |
Grading
| Extra Light | No more than 15% shall be darker than extra light. |
| Light | No more than 15% shall be darker than light. |
| Light Amber | No more than 15% shall be darker than light amber. |
| Amber | No more than 10% shall be darker than amber. |
