The Association of Food Industries (AFI) publishes the widely used North American reference standard for cashew kernel quality. For each grade it defines the count-per-pound range, the permitted colour, the allowable defects, a maximum moisture of about 3–5%, and the packaging and labelling terms buyers cite in contracts. Because it gives a common language for the trade, the AFI specification is what a North American or European contract usually points to when it names a grade like W320. This page summarises the grade table, the quality classes, the defect and moisture limits, and the packaging rules.
What AFI Is and Why Its Specs Matter
AFI is a US trade association representing the food-import industry. Its Nut and Agricultural Products Section maintains voluntary quality standards for cashews (and almonds, hazelnuts and macadamias), developed with importers and suppliers and updated by member vote. The standards are voluntary but are treated as the default contract reference across the North American cashew trade. Source: Association of Food Industries.
Grade Definitions & Count Ranges
The white-whole grades are defined by count per pound (per 454 g), all with a maximum moisture of 5%.
| Grade | Trade name | Count per lb | Max moisture | Broken max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W-180 | White Wholes | 170–180 | 5% | 5% |
| W-210 | White Wholes | 200–210 | 5% | 5% |
| W-240 | White Wholes | 220–240 | 5% | 5% |
| W-320 | White Wholes | 300–320 | 5% | 5% |
| W-450 | White Wholes | 400–450 | 5% | 5% |
| W-500 | White Wholes | 450–500 | 5% | 5% |
Scorched wholes (SW) mirror the same size classes (SW-180 … SW-500). Broken grades — Butts (B), Splits (S), Large and Small White Pieces (LWP/SWP) and Baby Bits (BB) — are defined by sieve size rather than count. The full grade families are charted on the cashew grades page.
Quality Classes
AFI groups kernels into quality classes: First Quality Fancy (uniform white, light yellow or pale ivory); Second Quality Scorched (yellow to light brown/ivory); Third Quality Special Scorched and Dessert (deep brown, amber, blue, blemished or discoloured); plus Lightly Blemished and Blemished Wholes (LBW/BW) with capped percentages of affected kernels.
Defect Allowances
Defects are surface or intrinsic faults that lower a lot’s grade — scorching, blemishes over ~3 mm, immature or shrivelled kernels, pitted spots over ~1 mm, adhering testa, scrapes, flux marks and speckles. Tolerances vary by grade, and the presence of a lower grade counts as a defect. Serious damage — insect, rodent or bird damage, visible mould, rancidity, decay, or foreign matter such as shell, stones, glass or metal — is not permitted.
Moisture & Food-Safety Limits
Moisture is held to roughly 3–5% (determined by the AOAC reference method) — enough to keep kernels from drying out and losing weight, but low enough to prevent mould. Only pesticides approved for cashews may be used, within the buyer country’s residue limits; methyl bromide fumigation is not allowed. Kernels must be free of hard or sharp foreign objects and hair.
Packaging & Labelling Standards
Kernels ship in new, clean, dry, leak-proof, lead-free containers with a hermetic (airtight) seal and no paper liners, using only food-grade CO₂. Outer cartons are new, pest- and mould-free corrugated board rated at least 200-lb test / 32 ECT, sealed without staples. Each carton is marked with product/brand, packer name and address, grade, net weight, origin, buyer’s mark, destination and a legible lot/production code. Common export packs are 11.34 kg (25 lb) and 22.68 kg (50 lb) vacuum tins.
How AFI Compares to BIS/CEPC
AFI is the North American reference; India’s BIS (IS grade designations) and the CEPC (Cashew Export Promotion Council of India) frameworks cover the same grade families with their own coding. The grade names (W320, SW, LWP) are broadly shared, so a lot can be described consistently across standards — see cashew classification.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AFI specification for cashew kernels? It is the Association of Food Industries’ voluntary quality standard for cashew kernels — defining each grade’s count-per-pound range, colour, defect allowances, maximum moisture (~3–5%) and packaging — used as the default reference in North American cashew contracts.
What is the maximum moisture for cashew kernels? Under the AFI standard, moisture is held to a maximum of about 5% (typically 3–5%), measured by the AOAC reference method, to prevent both mould and excessive drying.
What defect allowance does AFI permit for W320? W320, like the other white wholes, allows up to about 5% brokens and capped percentages of blemished or scorched kernels; serious damage such as mould, insect or rodent damage and foreign matter is not permitted. Exact tolerances are set in the current standard.
How do AFI and BIS cashew grades compare? They cover the same grade families (W180–W500, SW, splits, butts, pieces) with different coding — AFI is the North American reference, BIS the Indian standard. The shared grade names let the same lot be described consistently across both.