Brazil Nut Kernels Specifications

Sizing/Appearance

Nuts to be of approximately even shape, size and colour and shall count as follows:

Large 90/110 nuts per lb
Midgets 160/180 nuts per lb
Mediums 110/130 nuts per lb
Smalls 140/160 nuts per lb
Special Smalls 140/150 nuts per lb
Tinies 180/220 nuts per lb
Chipped ungraded
Broken naturally broken kernels

They shall be free from visible mould, damaged or otherwise discoloured or blemished kernels.
The nuts shall not have any part of the shell attached to the kernel.
Odour and flavour Brazils shall have a crisp texture and a clean characteristic flavour and odour.
They shall be free from foreign odours and flavours, taints or staleness.

Breakage

Not more than 2% split or broken Brazils by weight shall be present.

Foreign matter

The Brazils shall be free from foreign matter, e.g. glass, stones, metal etc. The nuts shall be free from all signs of live or dead insect or rodent contamination.

Moisture content

Moisture content calculated by the "loss-in-weight" method shall be not less than 2.5% and not greater than 4.5%

Fat diffusion

Not more than 10% of the nuts shall show fat diffusion.
Nuts shall be considered as fat diffused if an area of greater than 20% of the cross-section show "oil rings" or diffusion.

Brown centres

Not more than 5% of the nuts shall have brown centres.

Acid value

Free fatty acid (FFA) value not to exceed 0.5% maximum expressed as oleic acid.

Heavy metal residues

Levels of heavy metal residues in the nuts shall be at levels that allow conformance with provisional FAQ/WHO intake tolerances

Arsenic < 1 ppm

Lead < 1 ppm

Copper < l0 ppm

Zinc < 25ppm

Pesticide residues

To conform with EEC Directive (76/895/EEC) as amended.

Aflatoxin

The nuts shall contain not more than 4 ppb total aflatoxin Bl +B2+Gl +G2 or in accordance with current statuary regulations or current code of practice of the country of destination. Aflatoxin guaranteed to conform with the above on immediate testing by a recognised independent authority at the time of arrival at port of entry. [Rejection clause (see 15) and Sampling method (see 13) to apply].

Microbiological standards

Goods guaranteed to conform with the following microbiological specifications. Samples are to be drawn as per the sampling plan articulated in (13). [Rejection clause see (15) to apply].

Test/Brief Method Resume	ICMSF Nomenclature
n	c	m	M
TOTAL BACTERIAL COUNT
PCA 2 days at 30ºC	5	2	10,000	50,000
YEASTS
OGYE 3 days at 25ºC	5	2	10	100
MOULDS
OGYE 5 days at 25ºC	5	2	50	500
ENTEROBACTERIACEAE
1 - 2 hours Resuscitation, VRBGA 18 - 24 hours at 37ºC	5	2	10	100
E.COLI TYPE 1
Mac conkey broth 48 hrs at 37ºC. Confirmation - BGBB, Tryptone(Indole) 44ºC	5	1	Absent in 10 grams.	Absent in 0.1 grams
STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
Baird Parker 2 Days at 37ºC Confirmation - Staphaurex	5	1	100	500
SALMONELLA
Pre-enrichment 24 hrs at 37ºC, Selective enrichment (mannitol selenite + Tetrathionate) 18 - 24 hours at 37ºC. BGA + XLD agar. Confirm biochemically + serologically.	10 (50 grams)	0	0	0

Key to ICMSF (International Commission on Microbiological Specification for Foods) Nomenclature n = number of Sample Units tested by the specified method. (N.B. the standard sample size should be 40 grams unless otherwise stated. m = the expected target achievable under good manufacturing practices M = the absolute maximum upper limit which should not be exceeded c = the number of n samples examined that are permitted to fall between m and M.