From Shaking to Stockpiles — Moisture Management is Critical
As harvested almond kernels, hulls and shells start to travel from the orchard to the huller/sheller, it is essential for
industry members to take steps to protect this year’s crop from potential threats.
Proactive steps are particularly
important once the harvested crop
is ready to be stockpiled before the
hulling and shelling process begins. Too
high of a moisture level in a stockpile
can lead to a number of serious
quality issues, from aflatoxin, a food
safety concern, to concealed damage
via the browning of almond kernels.
Aflatoxins are naturally occurring
chemicals produced by Aspergillus
fungal molds. A significant factor in
the growth of Aspergillus is moisture
content. When in-hull almonds are
windrowed or stockpiled, moisture
in the almonds combined with hot
weather can create a breeding ground
for the molds to grow and produce
aflatoxins. By monitoring and adjusting
the amount of moisture in windrowed
and stockpiled almonds, it is possible
to limit the amount of moisture and
prevent the growth of mold.
Simple Solutions for High
Moisture Levels
If your crop is bound for stockpiling,
monitoring moisture levels before
sweeping is a good practice and
can be achieved through sampling.
There is variability in the moisture
levels of the crop that is drying on
the ground, and it is important to
focus on almonds with the highest
moisture content while sampling.
Prior to sweeping, the “worst-case”
high moisture content almonds are
those that are on the north side of
the canopy next to the trunk. For
windrows, moisture levels are higher
among the bottom layer of almonds.
Practical tip: Do not stockpile your
crop if the hull moisture content
exceeds 12 percent, the kernel
moisture content exceeds six percent
or the total fruit (in-hull almond)
moisture content exceeds nine percent.
Another threat to almond quality,
and an additional cause of high
IN YOUR ORCHARD
When choosing where to stockpile almonds on the farm, look for an area where you can have a raised or sloped bottom. This encourages
any moisture to drain away from the stockpile. Image courtesy of the Almond Board.
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A L M O N D F A C T S
