Processing of peanut butter

Peanut is a major source of protein and edible oil and is ranked as the second most important cultivated grain legume and the fourth largest edible oilseed crop in the world.

The peanuts possess high nutritional and commercial value due to the presence of fatty acids, protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. It has 40-54% oil and 26 28% protein. About 90% of peanut butter consists of peanuts that have been carefully selected by the farmer, roasted, blanched, and ground.

Other ingredients such as salt (1.5%), hydrogenated vegetable oil (0.125 %), dextrose (2%), and corn syrup (2%) are added to the product to improve smoothness, spreadability, and flavor.

The peanuts used for production of commercial peanut butters are first roasted at 160°C for 40 to 60 min to develop flavors. Roasting process makes it tastier, imparts flavor and specially inactivates lipoxygenase.

Roasted peanuts are then air-blast cooled on conveyors to stop the roasting process and maintain quality.

Following cooling, the peanuts are dry blanched (138°C, 25 min) and brushed to remove the skin, kernel, dust, molds, and other foreign material present on the exterior. An inspection will allow the manual removal of discolored and other rejected material. Processed peanuts are then ground and packaged at 48°C.

Peanut butter is available in ready to-eat packaging or in institutional containers for use in bakery and confectionery products.

Peanut butter is a semi-perishable product with prolonged shelf life due to its low moisture content. Peanut butter contains beneficial mono and poly unsaturated fats so it could be good alternative of traditional vegetable fat and help to lower blood cholesterol levels. Risk of heart disease can be reduced by 50 percent if the people intake few grams of nuts or peanut butter daily.
Processing of peanut butter