Peanut, Grade : 40/50

• Peanuts, or "groundnuts" are the edible seeds of a legume, Arachis hypogaea, and they are high in protein, oil and fiber.
• It is a herbaceous, annual type of plant that grows to a height of 20-60 cm. Depending on the species, the plants may grow upright and sideways with their sidewards shoots to a breadth of 30-80 cm.
• Peanuts produced in the U.S. are mostly used in food and confection products, but more than 50 percent of the worldwide production is crushed for its oil.
• There are four basic types of peanuts. Each one is used for manufacturing of different products:
  • Runner 
    Runners have rapidly gained wide acceptance because of their attractive kernel size range; mostly used for peanut butter.
  • Virginia 
    Virginias have the largest kernels and account for most of the peanuts roasted and eaten as "inshells." When shelled, the larger kernels are sold as salted peanuts.
  • Spanish 
    Spanish-type peanuts have smaller kernels covered with a reddish-brown skin. They are used predominantly in peanut candy, with significant quantities used for salted nuts and peanut butter. They have higher oil content than the other types of peanuts which is advantageous when crushing for oil.
  • Valencia 
    Valencias usually have three or more small kernels to a pod. They are very sweet peanuts and are usually roasted and sold in the shell; they are excellent for fresh use as boiled peanuts.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS

• Peanuts are a very good source of monounsaturated fats, a type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet.
• Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. Oils from nut are both edible and non-edible depending on the type. These oils are often available as raw materials for chemical and industrial applications.
• Peanut seed contains 44 to 56 % oil and 22 to 30 % protein on a dry seed basis and is a rich source of minerals (phosphorus, calcium. Magnesium and potassium) and vitamins E, K and B group.
• • The literature has reported many health benefits associated with consumption of peanuts including cancer inhibition. This benefit is mainly attributed to micronutrients such as α-tocopherol, folate, minerals and health promoting phytochemicals, particularly resveratrol, ferulic acid and other phenolic compounds.
• • Nuts provide an interesting nutritional supply due to their high nutritive and energetic value.

USES OF PEANUT

• Amongst nuts, Peanut is one of the most important oil crops in the world. Peanut oil is used to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease.
• It is also used to decrease appetite as an aid to weight loss. Some people use it to help prevent cancer.
• Rectally, peanut oil is used in ointments and medicinal oils for treating constipation.
• Pharmaceutical companies use peanut oil in various products they are preparing for internal and external use.
• The study indicated that Peanut oil, may have a higher shelf life, nutritional value and industrial applications
• Value-added products have been developed which have a number of applications including bakery, confectionery and the general consumer market. Among these are:
  • Peanut Flour
  • Peanut Oil
  • Roasted Peanuts
  • Peanut Butter
  • Reduced fat peanut butters
  • Peanut paste