NORTHERN CORRIDOR  STANDARD  NC 3:2018  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Roasted  Cashew kernels — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
NORTHERN CORR IDOR  STANDARD  NC 3:2018  
 
 
   1 Roasted  Cashew kernels —Specification  
 
1 Scope  
 
This Northern corridor  Standard specifies requirements for roasted cashew kernels.  
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following refer enced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies:  
 
CODEX STAN 192, general standard for food additives  
EAS 35, Edible salt — Specification  
EAS 38, Labeling of prepackaged foods — Specification  
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice  
ISO 735 , Oilseed residues -- Determination of as h insoluble in hydrochloric acid  
ISO 12193 , Animal and vegetable fats and oils -- Determination of lead by direct graphite furnace atomic 
absorption spectroscopy  
ISO 15774 , Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of cadmium content by direct gra phite 
furnace atomic absorption spectrometry  
ISO 17239 , Fruits, vegetables and derived products -- Determination of arsenic content -- Method using 
hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry  
ISO 7251 , Microbiology  of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli -- Most probable number technique  
ISO 6579, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
Salmonella spp. 
ISO 7251 , Microbiology  of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  
ISO 542, Oilseeds — Sampling  
ISO 16050 , Foodstuffs — Determination of aflatoxin B 1, and the total cont ent of aflatoxins B 1, B2, G 1 and G 2 
in cereals, nuts and derived products — High-performance liquid chromatographic method  
ISO 27107 , Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of peroxide value — Potentiometric end -
point determination  
3 Definitions  
 
The following de finition and those in the standards for cashew kernels  shall apply:  
 
3.1 
roasted cashew kernels  
kernels wh ich have been subjected to heat by either dry roasting or deep frying in a vegetable oil and to 
which salt (in form of powder or brine) and/or spices  or food ingredients may have been added . 
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1  General requirements  
Roasted cashew kernels  shall have the characteristic colour and be free from off -flavour  NC 3:2018  
2   4.2 Cashew kernel   
Cashew kernels for roasting shall conform to the standards for cashew kernels  
4.3  Specific  quality requirements  
Roasted cashew kernels shall also meet the requirements g iven in Table 1.  
 
Table 1 — Requirements for roasted cashew kernels  
 
SL 
No. Characteristic  Limit Test method  
i) Moisture , %, m/m, max  2.0 ISO 1026  
ii) Peroxide value, max., meq/kg  3.0 ISO 3960  
iii) Acid insoluble ash on dry weight 
basis , %, m/m, max  2.0 ISO 735   
 
 
5 Food additives  
Roasted cashew kernels may be preserved by using food additives complying with CODEX STAN 192.  
 
6 Contaminants  
6.1 Pesticide residues  
Roasted cashew kernels shall conform to those maximum residue limits for pesticide residues  established by  
Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.  
6.2 Heavy metals  
Roasted cashew kernels shall conform to those maximum limits for heavy metals stated in Table 2. 
Table 2 - Limits for heavy metals  in roasted cashew kernels  
SN Heavy metal  Limits, mg/kg, max.  Methods of test  
1 Arsenic  0.1 ISO 17239  
2 Cadmium  0.02 ISO 15774  
3 Lead  0.1 ISO 12193  
6.3 Aflatoxins  
Cashew kernels shall conform to those maximum limits for aflatoxins stated in Table 3 
Table 3- Limits for aflatoxins  in roasted cash ew kernels  
SN Aflatoxin type  Limits, µg/kg, max.  Methods of test  
1 Aflatoxin B 1 5 ISO 16050  
2 Total Aflatoxins  10 
 NC 3:2018   
    3 7 Hygienic requirements  
 
7.1 Roasted cashew kernels shall be processed and handled according to the provisions EAS 39.  
 
7.2 Roasted ca shew kernels shall be free of pathogenic organisms and shall co nform to  the 
microbi ological limits given in Table 4 . 
 
Table 4 — Microbiological limits for roasted cashew kernels  
 
SL 
No. Micro -organism  Maximum limits  Test method  
i) Escherichia  coli,  cfu/g Absent  ISO 7251  
ii) Salmonellae , in 25g Absent   ISO 6579   
 
 
7 Packaging  
 
Roasted cashew kernels shall be pack aged in food grade containers that secure the integrity and safety of 
the product.  
 
8  Weights and measures  
 
The weight of the package of the product shall comply with Weights and Measures regulations of the 
importing Partner State . 
 
9 Labelling   
 
In addition to the provisions of EAS  38, the following shall be legibly and indelibly marked on the container:  
 
a) name of the product;  
 
b) name and address  of the manufacturer / importer;  
 
c) list of ingredients in descending order;  
 
d) method of roasting (dry or fried);  
 
e) net weight in metric units;  
 
f) lot number;  
 
g) expiry date;  
 
h) country of manufacture;  
 
i) storage instructions.  
  
10 Sampling  
 
Sampling shall be done in accordance with  ISO 542 .