From the Pine Cone to the Pine Nut in its Shell
Phase 1
In the first processing phase the pine cones are loaded into a hopper and then they roll on a closed conveyor belt in a high temperature environment. The heating process softens the pine cone and makes it ready for the shelling inside the grinders. The discarded parts, such as pine cone leaves and dust, are separated from the pine nuts, still in their shells, and expelled to the outside.
Opening of the Pine Nut Shell
Phase 2
The pine nuts inside their shells go through a rotating cylinder at high temperatures and, after resting for 24 hours, are laid down on a sheet (this phase allows the breaking of the outer shells). The vibrating conveyor belts then separate the fruits from the shells.
Exsiccation and Dry-cleaning
Phase 3
Over the years the constant research for quality allowed us to refine new techniques. Amongst all processing phases, our strength is the dry-cleaning. During this phase the shelled pine nuts are dried and then washed. The fact that no water is used guarantees a very low bacterial level and, as a result, a unique taste and fragrance.
Screening and Packaging – Phase 4
Phase 4
And here is the final phase, the pine nuts go through three optical sorting machines that select the fruits based on their color and discard any potential foreign object. While the product moves forward on a conveyor belt, an expert operator performs the final quality control and then packages it with care.
> Processing Steps
The Stone Pine is a tree common in the entire Mediterranean basin. It takes 36 months for the strobili, also known as pine cones, to ripen (more than any other pine), after that they open up to allow the seeds to come out. It is in the period going from November to May that the Pinus Pinea gives us its fruits and that is when the harvesting time starts. During that time, we obtain the white pine nuts from the cones thanks to our experience and our attention to details.
The pine cone is a fruit that can be used one hundred percent. In fact, the processing waste is used to feed the several factory boilers or it is sold, in part, as biomass to produce energy.
> Health aspect of the dry cleaning process
The fine texture of the pine nut makes it unique when compared to any other dried fruit. There is no standard machinery for its processing, and every company needs to develop its own system.
The considerable improvements we made in this field are the result of the experience of the generations that preceded us and of the sizable investments in technological and productive innovations sustained by us, which makes our products authentic and unique in quality and flavor. Our proprietary dry-cleaning process guarantees a very low bacterial level, while storing the products in cool and dry locations ensures a much longer shelf life.
Processing Steps
