Cashew Nut Quality Standards for Export: A Buyer’s Guide

For international cashew buyers, a grade such as WW240 or WW320 tells only part of the story.

Reliable sourcing also requires agreement on kernel size, colour, moisture, defects, food safety, sensory quality, packaging and testing requirements.

Understanding cashew nut quality standards for export helps importers compare quotations correctly and helps suppliers avoid disputes after shipment.

International trade commonly uses commercial standards and buyer specifications alongside the legal food-safety requirements of the destination market. Two useful references are the Association of Food Industries (AFI) specifications and the UNECE DDP-17 standard for cashew kernels.

Key Facts

Kernel Count	Moisture	Defect Control	Food Safety
Size matters	Usually ≤ 5%	Must be specified	Market-specific

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1. What Quality Standards Are Used for Export Cashews?

There is no single quality standard that automatically applies to every cashew shipment worldwide. The applicable requirements normally come from three layers:

• Commercial standards, such as AFI specifications or UNECE DDP-17.
• Import-country legislation, covering food safety, contaminants, pesticide residues, allergens and labelling.
• Buyer specifications, which may be stricter than the legal minimum or commercial standard.

The AFI specifications adopted in September 2023 cover areas including moisture, packaging, sizing, defects, sensory condition, traceability and analytical testing for cashew kernels shipped to the United States. UNECE DDP-17 provides another international commercial reference. Its 2023 version classifies kernels into Extra, Class I and Class II, with requirements covering quality, colour, sizing, tolerances and defects. For B2B transactions, the safest approach is therefore to specify the required standard directly in the purchase specification or contract.

2. What Do WW180, WW240 and WW320 Mean?

Cashew grades such as WW180, WW240 and WW320 are commonly used in international trade.

The letters generally describe the kernel style and appearance, while the number relates primarily to the kernel count or size.

Under the AFI sizing system, common whole-kernel counts include:

Size designation	Approx. count per pound	Approx. count per kg
180	140–180	266–395
210	180–210	395–465
240	220–240	485–530
320	300–320	660–706
450	400–450	880–990

UNECE likewise recognises size designations including 180, 210, 240, 320, 450 and 500. Its 2023 standard uses the designation as the maximum number of whole kernels per pound for those size codes.

This leads to an important sourcing principle:

The lower the count number, the larger the average kernel.

Therefore, WW180 represents a larger kernel than WW320.

However, a larger kernel is not automatically “better quality.” Size and quality are separate characteristics. A buyer may prefer WW320 because of its balance between appearance, availability and cost, while another product may require larger WW240 or WW180 kernels.

3. What Moisture Level Should Export Cashews Have?

Moisture is one of the most important quality parameters for cashew kernels.

Too much moisture can increase the risk of deterioration, mould and loss of texture during storage. Very poor moisture control can also affect shelf life and product condition after a long sea shipment.

AFI specifies a moisture range of 3% to 5%, measured using an approved loss-on-drying or equivalent method.

The 2023 UNECE DDP-17 standard states that cashew kernels should have a moisture content not exceeding 5.0%.

For a commercial order, buyer and supplier should agree not only on the moisture limit but also on the test method.

This is important because results can vary if different laboratories or measurement techniques are used.

4. Which Cashew Defects Should Buyers Check?

Cashew quality inspection should distinguish between normal commercial variation and defects that may reduce appearance, shelf life or food safety.

Common quality concerns include scorching, discoloration, shrivelled or immature kernels, adhering testa, scratches, spots, broken kernels, insect damage, mould and rancidity.

AFI defines defects such as scorching, blemishes, discoloration, immature kernels, shrivelling, scrapes and adhering testa. It also treats problems such as visible mould, rancidity, decay and insect damage as serious defects.

Under UNECE DDP-17, allowed tolerances depend on whether the product is Extra, Class I or Class II. For example, the 2023 standard permits progressively higher total quality tolerances from Extra to Class II, while living pests are not permitted in any class.

This is why the specification should include actual defect limits instead of relying only on a commercial grade name.

5. How Should Colour and Appearance Be Evaluated?

Colour plays an important role in the commercial classification of cashew kernels.

AFI describes First Quality Fancy kernels as having a relatively uniform white, light-yellow or pale-ivory appearance. Second Quality Scorched kernels may show darker colours, while lower commercial classes allow progressively more discoloration or blemishing.

UNECE uses a similar concept, categorising Extra quality as “white,” Class I as “scorched” or “lightly blemished,” and Class II as including more strongly coloured, spotted, immature, shrivelled or blemished kernels.

For buyers purchasing retail-quality kernels, appearance is especially important because variation becomes highly visible through transparent packaging.

For industrial users, size and colour requirements may sometimes be less strict if the cashews will be chopped, coated, processed into confectionery or used as an ingredient.

The commercial specification should therefore reflect the final use of the product.

6. What Does “Whole” Mean in Cashew Grading?

A whole cashew kernel does not necessarily mean that absolutely no part of the kernel may be missing.

Under AFI specifications, a kernel can still be classified as Whole (W) if it retains the characteristic shape of the cashew kernel and no more than one-eighth has been broken off.

AFI also distinguishes other styles such as:

Butts (B): kernels broken crosswise.

Splits (S): approximately one longitudinal half of a kernel.

Pieces: smaller fragments classified according to sieve size.

For buyers, this matters because “whole,” “split” and “pieces” have very different applications and commercial values.

Whole kernels are commonly preferred for retail and snack products, while pieces may be more economical for bakery, confectionery, sauces, nut butter and food manufacturing.

7. How Much Breakage Is Acceptable?

Breakage should be defined in the product specification.

Under AFI’s sizing requirements, broken kernels or pieces in lots designated as whole kernels should not exceed 10% by weight. AFI also limits whole kernels belonging to a lower size grade to 10% by weight.

UNECE’s 2023 standard similarly provides a 10% tolerance for broken kernels in whole-kernel lots.

However, commercial buyers may set tighter limits depending on their product.

For example, a premium retail pack may require higher visual uniformity than kernels intended for industrial processing.

Therefore, the contractual specification should always override assumptions based only on the grade name.

8. What Sensory Quality Should Buyers Check?

Cashews should have a clean, characteristic taste and aroma.

Rancidity is particularly important because cashew kernels naturally contain oils that can deteriorate during poor processing or storage conditions.

AFI requires shipments to be free from off-tastes and off-aromas and defines off-flavour or aroma as atypical characteristics that may result from rancidity, lipid decomposition, fermentation, microbial activity, infestation or chemical contamination.

For significant purchases, buyers may therefore evaluate:

Appearance → Aroma → Taste → Texture → Roast performance

For roasted products, uniform roasting also becomes a separate quality criterion.

AFI’s specifications include roast-test parameters and defect tolerances for first- and second-quality roasted kernels.

9. What Food-Safety Parameters Matter for Export Cashews?

Commercial quality and food safety should be treated separately.

A lot may have attractive colour and good kernel size but still fail a food-safety requirement.

Important risk areas include aflatoxins, pesticide residues, microbiological contamination, foreign material, allergens and chemical contamination.

For example, under current EU contaminant rules, ordinary tree nuts placed on the market for final consumers or for use as food ingredients generally have maximum levels of 2.0 μg/kg for aflatoxin B1 and 4.0 μg/kg for total aflatoxins. Tree nuts intended for further sorting or physical treatment generally have limits of 5.0 and 10.0 μg/kg respectively.

EU pesticide MRLs are also product- and active-substance-specific, so exporters should verify current limits rather than applying one generic pesticide value to all cashew shipments.

For buyers importing into Europe, you can read our EU Cashew Import Requirements guide for the regulatory side of the sourcing process.

10. Should Buyers Check FFA and Peroxide Value?

For some buyers, especially those concerned with storage stability and rancidity, Free Fatty Acids (FFA) and Peroxide Value (PV) can be useful analytical parameters.

AFI’s current specifications set:

Parameter	AFI specification
FFA	Max. 1.5% as oleic acid
Peroxide Value	Max. 5 meq/kg

AFI also defines the analytical methods or equivalent official methods that may be used.

These tests are not necessarily requested in every international cashew contract, but they can provide additional information about oil deterioration and product condition.

If required, they should be stated clearly in the buyer specification.

11. What Packaging Standards Should Export Cashews Meet?

Quality can deteriorate after production if packaging and transport conditions are poor.

Cashew packaging should protect kernels against moisture, contamination, infestation, oxygen exposure and physical damage.

AFI requires cashews shipped under its specification to be packed in new, clean, dry, leakproof containers with an airtight seal, and it also requires traceable lot or production codes on cartons.

For an export contract, buyer and supplier should agree on:

Net weight per carton, inner bag type, vacuum or gas flushing where applicable, carton strength, lot coding, shipping marks, palletisation and storage requirements.

Packaging requirements may also differ between bulk industrial products and private-label retail cashews.

12. What Quality Documents Should Buyers Request?

A buyer should receive enough documentation to confirm that the delivered lot matches the agreed specification.

A typical quality file may include:

• Product Specification
• Certificate of Analysis
• Moisture result
• Aflatoxin test report when applicable
• Pesticide residue testing when required
• Microbiological testing
• Allergen statement
• Packing specification
• Traceability/lot information
• Food-safety certificates held by the manufacturer
• Pre-shipment inspection report where required

The exact documents should depend on the destination market, customer risk assessment and product specification.

A long document list does not automatically mean better quality. What matters is whether the documents are relevant to the actual risks and agreed requirements.

13. Should Buyers Approve a Pre-Shipment Sample?

For a new supplier, a pre-shipment or approved reference sample can reduce disputes.

The sample allows both sides to align expectations regarding colour, kernel size, appearance, taste and general quality.

AFI’s specification even refers to approved pre-shipment samples as a reference in certain non-conforming-quality situations.

For long-term supply programmes, the specification and approved sample can work together:

The specification defines measurable limits.

The sample demonstrates the expected physical appearance and sensory profile.

This is particularly useful for retail products or customized OEM cashews.

14. How Should Buyers Compare Cashew Quotations?

A quotation should never be compared using USD/kg alone.

Before deciding which supplier is cheaper, buyers should check whether both quotations use the same:

Grade · Count · Quality class · Moisture · Defect tolerance · Testing requirements · Packaging · Incoterm · Shipment period

A lower-priced WW320 lot with higher breakage or different quality tolerances is not necessarily equivalent to another WW320 quotation.

For more guidance on the complete sourcing process, see our How to Import Cashew Nuts from Vietnam guide.

Conclusion

Understanding cashew nut quality standards for export requires more than knowing the difference between WW240 and WW320.

Buyers should evaluate cashews across several dimensions, including:

Size and count, colour, moisture, defects, breakage, sensory quality, food safety, packaging and documentation.

Commercial standards such as AFI and UNECE provide useful reference points, but the final contract should also reflect the laws of the destination country and the buyer’s own requirements.

For suppliers and importers, a clear written specification is one of the best ways to reduce quality disputes and build a consistent long-term supply programme.

At BIGITEXCO, we supply Vietnamese cashew kernels for international B2B customers and can support different grades, specifications, bulk packaging and OEM/private-label requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the standard moisture level for export cashews?

AFI specifies a moisture level of 3%–5%, while UNECE DDP-17 sets a maximum moisture content of 5.0%. The buyer and supplier should agree on both the limit and the testing method.

Is WW240 better quality than WW320?

Not necessarily. The numbers primarily describe kernel size/count. WW240 kernels are generally larger than WW320 kernels, but quality also depends on colour, defects, moisture, food safety and other parameters.

How many kernels are in WW320?

AFI specifies a moisture level of 3%–5%, while UNECE DDP-17 sets a maximum moisture content of 5.0%. The buyer and supplier should agree on both the limit and the testing method.

What is the difference between whole and split cashews?

A whole kernel retains the characteristic cashew shape with only limited allowable breakage, while a split is essentially one longitudinal half of the kernel.

Is AFI mandatory for every export market?

No. AFI is an industry specification widely relevant to shipments to the U.S.; it is not a universal legal standard for every destination. Buyers should also consider applicable national regulations and contractual specifications.