Almond

Cultivation and production - Trees and berries

Trees and berries

Production

The almond is the fruit of the almond tree (Prunus dulcis) (family Rosaceae).

Almonds are rich in lipids (54%), particularly oleic and linoleicacid, an omega-6 fatty acid. It is also remarkably rich in protein (22%), although lacking certain essential amino acids such as methionine and lysine.

Since ancient times, almonds have played an important role in Oriental and Mediterranean pastry-making, and over the last two decades they have enjoyed a revival of interest worldwide. The rise in global demand is driven by the desire of many consumers to turn to plant-based foods, particularly for snacking, snacks and snacks that are reputed to be good for the health.

In the botanical sense, the term almond has the general meaning of "seed contained in the kernel of a drupe which contains an important food reserve enabling the embryo to develop". In everyday language, the term almond can be used to refer to 1) the fruit of the almond tree as it appears on the tree 2) the shell once the fruit has been stripped of its husks 3) the seed once it has been stripped of its shell (this is the almond in the botanical sense; in the trade it is known as almond kernel) 4) this seed once it has been stripped of its tegument (or hulled almond).