Two stages people often confuse
Shelling removes the hard outer shell to release the kernel; peeling removes the thin brown skin from the kernel after drying. Two separate stages, two different machines.
Shelling and peeling are two different stages of cashew processing that are often confused. Shelling (also called cutting) cracks and removes the hard outer shell of the raw nut to release the kernel — it happens early, right after steaming. Peeling removes the thin brown skin (testa) from the kernel and happens later, after drying. They use different machines: a shelling/cutting machine and a peeling machine. Getting both right — clean shelling and gentle dry peeling — is what protects whole-kernel yield.
| Shelling (cutting) | Peeling | |
|---|---|---|
| Removes | Hard outer shell | Thin brown skin (testa) |
| Stage | Early — after steaming | Later — after drying |
| Machine | Shelling machine | Peeling machine |
| Output | Kernel + shell | Clean white kernel |
In short: shelling frees the kernel from the shell; peeling strips the skin off the kernel. Both are separate machines on the processing line.
Crack the shell, keep the kernel
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High whole-kernel yield, dry-peeled
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Peeling removes the thin brown testa skin from dried cashew kernels. Dry peeling (air and friction) protects whole-kernel yield far better than water peeling.
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