What Happens to Cashew Fruit After Harvest? The Brazilian Fibre Innovation Reaching Plant-Based Plates
Updated: Sep 9
Most people know the cashew for its nut. But what happens to the much larger fruit attached to it after harvest? That question leads to a very different side of the cashew story.
The part we casually call the cashew apple, or peduncle, makes up roughly 90% of the cashew's weight, while the nut accounts for about 10%. In Northeast Brazil, this fleshy part can be eaten fresh or processed into juice, pulp, cajuína, sweets, preserves and other products. Yet much of it remains underused because it is highly perishable and difficult to handle after harvest.
So, if the nut becomes the product most people recognize, what happens to the remaining cashew fruit?
Brazilian food research offers an interesting answer. Processing residues from the cashew can be further used to develop cashew fibre, which has been studied as an ingredient for plant-based foods.
Embrapa's research eventually moved into commercial food development, including a plant-based burger associated with Amazonika Mundi.
The story, therefore, is not simply about food waste. It is about what can happen when an overlooked part of a familiar crop becomes the starting point for another food.
Why Does Brazil Matter to the Cashew Story?
When we think about cashews, we usually think about the nut sitting in a packet or being added to desserts and snacks. But the larger story begins much earlier, in the fields of Brazil.
The cashew tree, Anacardium occidentale, has deep roots in northern and northeastern Brazil, and the Northeast remains the country's main commercial cashew-growing region. Embrapa's current technical information reports approximately 700,000 hectares of cashew cultivation in Northeast Brazil, with Ceará standing out as the largest producing state.[1]
Ceará, Piauí and Rio Grande do Norte are particularly important when discussing the Brazilian cashew-processing ecosystem.
This matters because the availability of the cashew peduncle is closely connected to the scale and geography of production. Embrapa estimates that the Northeast produces about 1.26 billion kilograms of cashew peduncle, yet only around 10% to 20% of the annual peduncle production is utilized through agro-industrial processing.
That creates an unusual situation. Brazil has a large supply of a fruit component that is nutritionally and commercially useful, but capturing its value is not always easy.
The challenge is therefore not simply growing more cashews. It is finding practical ways to use more of what is already being produced.
Where is cashew grown in Brazil?
Commercial cashew cultivation is heavily concentrated in Northeast Brazil, with Ceará being a major producing state. Piauí and Rio Grande do Norte are also important parts of the region's cashew production landscape.
Is Brazil the origin of cashew?
The cashew tree is native to Brazil, particularly associated with the northern and northeastern parts of the country. Today, Brazil remains an important center for cashew cultivation, processing and research.
The Cashew Is More Than the Nut
Here is where the cashew becomes more interesting.
What we call a cashew is actually made up of two very different parts:
Cashew nut = the true fruit
Cashew apple / peduncle = the swollen pseudofruit attached to the nut. And their proportions are surprisingly different.
According to Embrapa, the cashew averages approximately 10% nut and 90% peduncle by weight.
So the familiar cashew nut is actually the smaller part of the crop.
The larger, fleshy peduncle is the part that develops into the juicy structure commonly called the cashew apple. It can be consumed and processed in several ways, but it has a much shorter post-harvest life than the nut.
This distinction is important when discussing cashew fruit waste.
It would be inaccurate to simply call the entire cashew "the nut" and then describe the remaining material as waste. The peduncle is a food resource in its own right.
Embrapa notes that the peduncle contains vitamin C and minerals, while also having compounds such as tannins that contribute to its characteristic astringency.
What is the fruit part of a cashew called?
The fleshy part attached to the cashew nut is generally called the cashew apple or cashew peduncle. Botanically, it is a pseudofruit rather than the true fruit. The true fruit is the structure commonly recognized as the cashew nut.
Is a cashew apple a real fruit?
In everyday food language, it is commonly called a fruit or cashew apple. Botanically, however, the fleshy portion is a pseudofruit, while the nut is the true fruit.
What Happens to Cashew Fruit After Harvest?
Once the cashew is harvested, the nut and peduncle have very different journeys.
The nut can go through established processing for consumption as a kernel.
The peduncle has a much more time-sensitive journey.
It can be consumed fresh or sent for processing into products such as:
whole or concentrated juice
nectar
frozen pulp
cajuína
sweets
preserves
dried products
other processed foods
Embrapa documents these different uses as part of the broader industrial and household processing of cashew peduncle.
The important point is that the cashew apple is not automatically waste after harvest.
It already has several food uses. The bigger issue comes after processing and in places where there is not enough infrastructure or time to capture its value.
What is cashew apple used for?
Cashew apple or peduncle can be consumed fresh and processed into juice, pulp, cajuína, nectar, sweets, preserves and other products. The exact use depends on the processing system and local market.
Can cashew apples be processed?
Yes. Cashew peduncle has been processed at both industrial and household scales. Embrapa lists juice, concentrated juice, nectar, frozen pulp, cajuína, sweets and preserves among its applications.
Why Is So Much of the Cashew Peduncle Underused?
This is where the real problem begins. Embrapa's updated technical information estimates that agro-industrial processing utilizes only around 10% to 20% of the cashew peduncle produced annually in Northeast Brazil. It therefore describes approximately 80% to 90% as wasted or underutilized.
But that number needs context.
It does not mean that 80% to 90% of every harvested cashew apple is simply thrown into a landfill.
The issue is broader: a large proportion does not enter formal agro-industrial processing or higher-value food applications. There are several reasons.
1. High perishability
The cashew peduncle is extremely perishable.
Embrapa states that at room temperature, its post-harvest life does not exceed approximately 48 hours. After that, the peduncle becomes wrinkled and unsuitable for normal use.
That creates a race against time. A farmer may harvest a large quantity of fruit, but the fruit needs to reach suitable processing or storage conditions quickly.
2. Harvest and collection challenges
The peduncle is delicate and susceptible to microbial deterioration. Embrapa identifies the combination of high perishability and difficulties in harvesting as major factors behind its low utilization.
3. Limited processing capacity
Not every production area has immediate access to processing infrastructure.
This becomes particularly important in a region where production is spread across many rural areas and small producers.
4. Economic focus on the nut
The cashew nut has historically been the more commercially prominent part of the crop.
The result is a strange imbalance: the smaller part of the cashew has a well-established global market, while the much larger peduncle faces greater logistical and processing challenges.
Why is cashew apple wasted?
The main issue is not that the cashew apple has no value. It is highly perishable, difficult to transport and requires suitable processing infrastructure. Embrapa identifies these post-harvest and processing challenges as important reasons for its underutilization.
How much cashew fruit is wasted?
Embrapa's current technical information estimates that only about 10% to 20% of annual cashew-peduncle production in Northeast Brazil is utilized through agro-industrial processing, leaving approximately 80% to 90% underused or wasted.[2]
What Is Cashew Apple Pomace or Bagasse?
If the cashew peduncle is processed for juice or pulp, another material remains behind.
This is where terms such as cashew apple pomace, cashew bagasse or processing residue enter the conversation.
A simple way to understand the relationship is:
Cashew apple/peduncle
↓
processed for juice/pulp
↓
remaining material
↓
pomace / bagasse
↓
further processing
The terms should not be treated as interchangeable.
Cashew apple is the original fleshy pseudofruit. Pomace or bagasse refers to material remaining after processing.
Cashew fibre is a further processed ingredient that can be obtained from suitable cashew-processing residues.
That distinction matters because calling all three "cashew fibre" skips the actual transformation taking place.
Embrapa's research into plant-based products specifically focused on using cashew fibre derived from processing material that would otherwise have limited value. In its 2019 report, Embrapa explained that the research began partly from the goal of reducing the waste of cashew bagasse generated by the juice industry.
What is cashew apple pomace?
Cashew apple pomace is the residual material left after processing the cashew peduncle, particularly during juice or pulp extraction. It can contain useful components and may be investigated for further applications instead of being treated only as a disposal problem. Embrapa's research has explored the conversion of cashew-processing residues into fibre for food applications.
How Can Cashew Processing Residue Become Fibre?
This is where food science changes the story.
Instead of stopping at:
cashew → juice → residue
research can ask another question:
Can the residue become an ingredient?
A simplified version of the process is:
CASHEW PEDUNCLE
↓
JUICE / PULP EXTRACTION
↓
BAGASSE / RESIDUAL MATERIAL
↓
TREATMENT
↓
DRYING / PROCESSING
↓
CASHEW FIBRE
↓
FOOD FORMULATION
The exact processing conditions depend on the intended application and technology, so it would be misleading to describe this as a simple kitchen process.
The important idea is valorization. A material that remains after one food-processing stage can undergo additional processing so that it becomes useful in another food application.
Embrapa researchers investigated cashew fibre as an ingredient for plant-based products. Their work ultimately contributed to formulations including burgers, nuggets, croquettes, meatballs, koftas and other plant-based foods.
This is a different way of looking at food processing.
Instead of asking only:
What product can we make from the cashew?
The question becomes:
How many useful products can we make from the different parts and stages of the cashew?
How is cashew fibre made?
Cashew fibre can be developed from material generated during cashew processing. The residue is subjected to further processing and treatment so that it can be incorporated into food formulations. Embrapa research specifically investigated cashew fibre as an ingredient for plant-based products.
What is cashew fibre used for?
Research and commercial applications show cashew fibre being used in plant-based food formulations, including burger-style products and other foods. In Embrapa's plant-based hamburger technology, treated cashew fibre contributes particularly to texture and adds dietary fibre.
Can cashew waste be turned into fibre?
Certain cashew-processing residues can be further processed into fibre for food applications. Embrapa's research specifically explored this approach as a way to give greater value to cashew bagasse.
What Can Cashew Fibre Do in Plant-Based Food?
This is the point where the story moves from agricultural residue to something a person can actually eat.
Cashew fibre is not simply added to a burger because it sounds sustainable.
It has a functional role. Embrapa's plant-based hamburger technology describes treated cashew fibre as having a neutral flavour and odour. In the formulation, it particularly contributes to texture and adds dietary fibre.
That matters because texture is one of the hardest parts of creating a satisfying plant-based food.
A plant-based burger is not judged only by its ingredient list. People notice how it feels when they bite into it, how it holds together and how it behaves during cooking.
Embrapa's technology was designed around plant ingredients that provide sensory characteristics such as texture, flavour and appearance similar to conventional beef burgers.
But there is an important distinction. Cashew fibre is not nutritionally equivalent to meat.
And the presence of fibre does not automatically make a burger healthier than a meat burger.
What we can say from the evidence is much more specific:
Cashew fibre can function as an ingredient in plant-based formulations, contributing to texture while adding dietary fibre.
That is enough to make the ingredient interesting without exaggerating what it does.
Is cashew fibre good for plant-based food?
Cashew fibre can be useful in plant-based formulations because it can contribute to texture and dietary fibre. Embrapa's documented hamburger formulation specifically uses treated cashew fibre for these purposes.
What does cashew fibre do in a burger?
In Embrapa's documented plant-based hamburger formulation, treated cashew fibre has a neutral flavour and odour and particularly contributes to texture and dietary fibre.
Can cashew fibre replace meat?
Cashew fibre itself is not a direct nutritional replacement for meat. It is one ingredient used in plant-based formulations. A finished plant-based burger contains other ingredients that provide its overall protein, fat, carbohydrate, fibre and micronutrient profile.
What Is Upcycled Food, and Where Does Cashew Fibre Fit?
Upcycled food is easier to understand when we stop thinking of food processing as a straight line.
A traditional linear model might look like:
Crop → primary product → residue
An upcycling approach asks whether some of that recoverable material can become:
Crop → primary product + recoverable material → new ingredient → new food
Cashew fibre fits naturally into this conversation because researchers have investigated cashew-processing residue as a source of a useful food ingredient.
The important word here is "investigated."
Not every food residue can automatically become a valuable ingredient. It has to be suitable for processing, safe for its intended use, technically workable and economically practical.
That is why research matters. In the cashew example, Embrapa did not simply declare that bagasse was sustainable. Researchers worked on its use as an ingredient and developed plant-based food formulations containing cashew fibre.
So the interesting part of the story is not just that a residue exists.
It is that science explored whether that residue could become functional food material.
What does upcycled food mean?
Upcycled food refers broadly to food or food ingredients created by giving useful material that might otherwise have limited use a new role in the food system.
Cashew fibre is an example of this type of approach because cashew-processing residue has been investigated as a source of fibre for new food formulations.
Is upcycled food sustainable?
It can contribute to more efficient use of food resources, but sustainability should not be assumed simply because a product is called "upcycled." The environmental benefit depends on the complete system, including processing, transportation, energy use, packaging and what would otherwise have happened to the material.
That is why specific sourcing and processing information is more useful than a vague "zero waste" claim.
What are examples of upcycled food?
Examples can include foods or ingredients made using suitable byproducts or underused materials from food processing. Cashew fibre is one example being developed for plant-based food applications. Embrapa's work demonstrates how cashew-processing residue can move into a new food formulation.
How Does Cashew Fibre Connect to a Circular Food System?
A circular food system tries to keep useful resources in circulation for longer rather than treating every leftover material as the end of the story.
The cashew example can be visualized like this:
Cashew cultivation
↓
Nut + peduncle
↓
Food processing
↓
Residue
↓
Fibre
↓
New food product
↓
Additional value
The important idea is value recovery.
The objective is not to claim that every part of the cashew suddenly becomes zero waste. There is no evidence here to support such a broad statement.
Instead, the more precise point is that researchers and food companies have explored ways to recover additional value from a material that has historically been underutilized.
That difference matters.
A circular approach is not about finding a fashionable label for an old ingredient. It is about reconsidering what happens at each stage of a production system.
In the cashew case, the question changes from:
"What do we do with the leftover material?"
to:
"Can this material become useful again?"
That is where cashew fibre becomes more than a food ingredient. It becomes an example of value recovery through food innovation.
How Embrapa Helped Turn Cashew Fibre Research Into Food Innovation
This is where the story moves from an interesting idea to documented food technology.
Embrapa, Brazil's agricultural research organization, investigated the use of cashew fibre in plant-based foods. A 2019 Embrapa report describes research that developed plant-based products including burgers, nuggets, croquettes, meatballs, koftas and other products through a partnership involving Embrapa Food Technology and Sottile Foods.
According to Embrapa's report, the cashew fibre came from Ceará, and research at Embrapa Tropical Agroindustry had enabled its use as an ingredient. The initial motivation included reducing the waste of cashew bagasse generated by the juice industry, which had been used as animal feed.
The next step was commercialization. Embrapa's technology database identifies a cashew-fibre plant-based hamburger recipe as a food technology launched in 2019. It names Amazonika Mundi - Sotille Alimentos as the place to find the product and identifies its commercial name as Amazonika Burger.
The documented journey therefore looks like this:
Brazilian cashew-processing challenge
↓
Embrapa research
↓
cashew fibre
↓
plant-based formulation
↓
commercial food product
That is a much stronger story than simply saying that a company "uses food waste." There is a documented research and development pathway behind the ingredient.
Why is this important?
Because it shows what food innovation can look like in practice.
The innovation isn't necessarily creating a completely unfamiliar crop.
It can mean taking something already produced at scale, understanding its properties and finding another useful application for it.
In this case, the overlooked material from cashew processing became part of research into plant-based foods.
How Does Amazonika Mundi Use Cashew Fibre?
This is where Amazonika Mundi enters the story. Amazonika Mundi's current website says its story began with cashew and a desire to use the cashew bagasse that would otherwise have limited value. The company identifies cashew fibre as its main ingredient and lists its origin as Northeast Brazil, with supply from cashew-fibre extraction industries.
That geographic detail is important.
The brand's broader identity is connected with Brazilian biodiversity and Amazonian ingredients, but the company specifically identifies its cashew fibre as coming from Northeast Brazil. Its website separately identifies ingredients such as açaí extract, urucum and sacha inchi with Amazonian origins.
So these two ideas should not be mixed together:
Cashew fibre → Northeast Brazil
Some other Amazonika ingredients → Amazonian regions
That distinction makes the story more accurate.
Amazonika's current product range includes plant-based products such as its Amazonika Burger, Falafel Burger, Quinoa Burger, Veggie Kofta, Cashew Croquettes and Brazilian Bean Croquettes. Its product information identifies cashew fibre among the ingredients in several of these products.
A familiar Brazilian crop generates a much larger fleshy portion than the nut most consumers recognize. Some of that material can enter juice and pulp processing. The resulting residue can be investigated and processed into fibre. That fibre can then become one component of a plant-based food. Suddenly, the cashew has another life beyond the nut.
Where does Amazonika Mundi's cashew fibre come from?
According to Amazonika Mundi's current official website, its cashew fibre originates in Northeast Brazil and is supplied by cashew-fibre extraction industries.
Is Amazonika Mundi's cashew fibre from the Amazon rainforest?
The company does not identify its cashew fibre as coming from the Amazon rainforest. It specifically lists the origin as Northeast Brazil. Other ingredients used by Amazonika Mundi are separately identified as coming from Amazonian regions.
From Brazilian Cashew Fibre to Indian Plates
For an Indian consumer, the interesting part of this story is not simply that Brazil produces cashews. India already has a strong food culture built around plant ingredients, regional crops and creative use of food resources.
The Brazilian example adds another perspective: what if the food industry looked more carefully at the parts of a crop that traditionally receive less attention?
Amazonika Mundi's story makes that question tangible through plant-based products built around Brazilian ingredients, including cashew fibre. The company's own website identifies its cashew fibre as coming from Northeast Brazil.
At the same time, there is an important sourcing distinction that consumers should understand.
The evidence available here supports the origin of the cashew fibre and the company's Brazilian product story. It does not, by itself, establish a detailed Brazil-to-India supply chain for the ingredient.
So we should not turn a Brazilian ingredient story into an unsupported claim that the raw fibre is directly shipped from Brazil to every Indian consumer.
Instead, the useful question for an Indian shopper is:
What exactly is in the product, where do those ingredients come from, and how transparent is the brand about that journey?
That is a better way to evaluate any imported or internationally inspired food product. And it brings us back to the reason this cashew story matters.
Food innovation becomes much more meaningful when consumers can understand not just what they are eating, but also where the ingredient came from and what problem the innovation is trying to solve.
What Makes This More Than Just Another Plant-Based Burger?
At first glance, a cashew-fibre burger may sound like just another plant-based product.
But the interesting part isn't the burger alone.
It is the journey behind it.
Cashew crop
→ underused peduncle
→ processing residue
→ cashew fibre
→ food science
→ plant-based formulation
→ commercial product
→ consumer
That journey is what makes the product story different.
Embrapa's documented technology shows that treated cashew fibre can contribute to the texture and dietary fibre content of a plant-based hamburger formulation. The technology was launched commercially in 2019, with Amazonika Burger listed as the commercial product.
What Should You Look for When Choosing an Upcycled Food?
The word "upcycled" can sound impressive on a package, but consumers should look beyond the label.
A good place to start is with six simple questions.
1. What is the upcycled ingredient?
Don't stop at "made with upcycled ingredients."
Look for the actual ingredient.
In this case, the story is specific: cashew fibre derived from cashew processing.
2. Where does it come from?
A transparent brand should be able to tell you the geographic origin of important ingredients.
Amazonika Mundi identifies its cashew fibre as originating in Northeast Brazil.
3. What happens to it before becoming an ingredient?
This is where the story becomes meaningful.
A consumer should be able to understand whether an ingredient comes from a processing residue, how it is treated and how it becomes suitable for its final application.
4. Is the supply chain explained?
"Brazilian" or "sustainable" on its own does not tell you enough.
Look for information about suppliers, ingredient origins and processing.
5. Can the company identify its ingredients and sourcing?
Transparency is useful because it allows consumers to distinguish a genuine ingredient story from vague marketing.
6. Are sustainability claims specific rather than vague?
Be cautious with phrases such as "zero waste" or "100% sustainable" when there is no supporting information.
A stronger claim is a measurable or traceable one.
For example:
Cashew fibre sourced from Northeast Brazil
is much more informative than:
Made with sustainable Brazilian ingredients.
That is also why the cashew-fibre story is interesting. We can follow the ingredient through a documented research and product-development pathway rather than relying only on a sustainability slogan.
FAQs
What happens to cashew fruit after harvest?
After harvest, the cashew peduncle can be eaten fresh or processed into juice, pulp, cajuína, sweets, preserves and other products. Because it is highly perishable, much of the peduncle remains underused. Research in Brazil has explored turning cashew-processing residues into fibre for food applications.
What is cashew apple pomace?
Cashew apple pomace is residual material left after processing the fleshy cashew peduncle, particularly during juice or pulp extraction. It is different from the original cashew apple and from finished cashew fibre. Research has investigated how cashew-processing residues can be further processed for food applications.
How is cashew fibre made?
Cashew fibre can be developed by further processing suitable material generated during cashew processing. The residue undergoes treatment and processing so it can function as an ingredient in food formulations. Embrapa research specifically investigated cashew fibre for plant-based foods.
Can cashew fibre be used in plant-based burgers?
Yes. Embrapa has documented a plant-based hamburger formulation containing treated cashew fibre. According to the technology record, the fibre has a neutral flavour and odour and particularly contributes to texture and dietary fibre. The commercial product associated with the technology is listed as Amazonika Burger.
Where does Amazonika Mundi's cashew fibre come from?
According to Amazonika Mundi's current official website, its cashew fibre comes from Northeast Brazil and is supplied by cashew-fibre extraction industries.
CONCLUSION
So, what happens to cashew fruit after harvest?
The answer isn't simply:
It becomes juice.
And it isn't simply:
It becomes waste.
The more interesting answer is that part of the overlooked cashew peduncle can become the starting point for another food story.
In Northeast Brazil, the cashew is much more than the familiar nut. Around 90% of its weight is the fleshy peduncle, yet only a fraction enters agro-industrial processing. Its short shelf life and handling challenges make utilization difficult.
But research has shown another possibility.That doesn't mean every part of every cashew is now being used, or that every product made with an upcycled ingredient is automatically more sustainable. It means something simpler and more interesting.
A part of a crop that has traditionally received less attention can be studied, processed and given another role.
And sometimes food innovation isn't about finding a completely new ingredient. It's about seeing a familiar ingredient differently.
