Hazelnut storage for businesses: From receipt to use

Storage planning should begin when the purchasing requirement is defined, not only when a shipment arrives. Do not assume identical conditions or shelf life for in-shell nuts, kernels and processed products. Start with the product's storage instructions and specification.

Check products and documents at receipt

Assess packaging integrity, matching shipment and lot references, and conformity with the expected product description. Segregate damaged packaging, condensation or unusual odours for assessment before mixing the delivery into routine stock.

Consider the environment and packaging together

Limit exposure to moisture, direct sunlight and strong odours. Include housekeeping, pest control and suitable stacking in your operating plan. Where temperature changes could cause condensation, consider the opening and handling stage as well. Follow product-specific instructions rather than assuming one temperature or duration is appropriate for all forms.

Maintain lot separation

Identify opened packs and record opening dates and remaining quantities. Plan stock rotation with the relevant date marking in mind. Mixing old and new lots without records makes it harder to establish the scope of a later discrepancy.

Define the role of nitrogen storage accurately

The warehouse used by EZMINO for in-shell hazelnuts uses nitrogen storage. This is part of the storage approach; it does not protect a subsequently opened pack or establish removal of previously formed aflatoxins. Our nitrogen-storage guide explains the distinction.

Share your product form, delivery intervals and storage capacity with EZMINO so supply planning can be considered alongside your usage rate.

What should warehouse records include?

Codex recommends, where possible, relative humidity below 70% and temperature between 0 and 10 °C. These are general guidance values, not measurements of our warehouse or a shelf-life guarantee. (Codex CXC 59-2005, paragraph 45)

Record the date, warehouse zone, temperature, relative humidity, lot number and response to any deviation together. One format is “morning reading — zone A — lot code — measured values — responsible person”. Set monitoring frequency through your business risk assessment.

A simple stock-rotation example

Of two lots of the same product, using the one with the earlier applicable consumption date may be more appropriate than relying only on arrival dates. Retain the lot label on an opened bag, note the opening date and identify the container holding the remainder. Keep a lot with damaged packaging or condensation separate until its suitability has been assessed.