Walnuts are a very healthy food: low in sodium and free from cholesterol, they are an excellent source of omega-3, potassium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin E and polyphenols. They are also highly satiating so they are often recommended as a healthy snack.
In order to preserve these characteristics, it’s important to know how to store walnuts correctly, whether they are fresh, dry or shelled. Let’s see some useful tips about how to store them properly, as well as the best packaging solutions for walnuts to promote and protect this agrifood product.
Tips on how to store walnuts
Firstly, let’s see how to store fresh walnuts that have just been collected and not subjected to the drying process. Fresh walnuts should be kept under vacuum, meaning that they should be stored in a hermetically sealed container. Their shelf life can range from 1 to 6 months depending on how they are stored: 1 to 3 months in the refrigerator or 4 to 6 months in the freezer.
Alternatively, walnuts can be dried by leaving them in the sun for 3 to 4 days or removing the inner water in a fan oven at a low temperature. The shelf life of dry walnuts is around 1 to 2 years but they must be kept in a cool, dry place, away from direct light and heat sources, and in a mesh bag.
How to store shelled walnuts
Shelled walnuts are a very practical and nutritious snack ready to eat at any time of day. Shelled walnuts should be stored in a glass container with a hermetically sealed lid or in a vacuum bag to remove all the air and slow down their deterioration.
The shelf life of shelled walnuts is similar to fresh walnuts: they can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of approximately 3 months. Whereas if they are kept at room temperature in a cool, dry place, away from heat sources, fresh walnuts can last for around 2 weeks.
Walnut packaging
Packaging for dried or fresh fruit must preserve the product and offer an adequate barrier effect against moisture, light and external agents. There is also special vacuum packaging for food that prevents oxygen from entering in order to preserve the product perfectly.
Walnut packaging can be made with various materials, such as OPA/PE, PET/PE, EVOH/PE, PET/PP. Another solution for walnuts is skin packaging, which consists of a plastic or cardboard base with a protective film, ideal for vacuum packaging. Walnut packaging is available in various shapes, sizes and structures, including trays, Doypack packaging, flat-bottom bags, stand-up pouches and rigid thermoformed trays.
Volmar Packaging offers a wide range of food packaging for walnuts, with many innovative solutions to package this agrifood product. We supply flexible packaging to meet all needs, including peelable versions. The packaging can also be fully customized to promote the brand and market the product.