Cashew nuts, shelled

1. Scope and Applicability

This PCR covers foreground production of edible cashew kernels from received cashew nuts in shell through kernel release, shelling, drying or conditioning as needed, peeling, grading, and packing at the production-site gate. It applies to whole, broken, or otherwise graded shelled cashew kernels whose lot identity, quality state, and packing form are declared.

It excludes cashew cultivation and harvest, manufacture of purchased utilities and packaging, transport before receipt and after the site gate, retail, consumer preparation, and end-of-life. These excluded stages may enter a downstream life-cycle model through separately referenced datasets. Flavoured, coated, formulated, or further-roasted snack products and cashew paste, butter, flour, oil, and beverages are outside the category. The UNECE source supports kernel identity and quality, measurement, and packing qualifiers only; it does not provide default LCI amounts.

2. Product Category Identity

Field	Value
canonical_pcr_id	pcr.food-products-beverages-and-tobacco-textiles-apparel-and-leather-products.meat-fish-fruits-vegetables-oils-and-fats.cashew-nuts-shelled
classification_refs	CPC 3.0: 21424, Cashew nuts, shelled (unsd-cpc-3-0-21424)
covered_products	Edible cashew kernels separated from the shell and supplied whole, broken, or in a declared kernel grade, including raw or process-conditioned kernels that have not been formulated with other food ingredients
excluded_products	Cashew nuts in shell; flavoured, coated, formulated, or snack-roasted products; cashew paste, butter, flour, oil, beverages, and non-edible shell-derived products
representative_product	Packed edible cashew kernels meeting the producer's declared commercial grade and lot specification
production_route	Received in-shell nuts -> one declared kernel-release conditioning route -> shelling and separation -> drying/peeling/grading -> packing
market_state	Factory-gate packed kernels; kernel form, grade, moisture or conditioning state, packing material, pack size, and atmosphere treatment declared

Kernel identity and the quality, measurement, and packing descriptors are based on unece-ddp-17-cashew-kernels-2023. They are product qualifiers, not quantitative inventory defaults.

3. Reference Flow

Field	Value
What	Production and packing of edible shelled cashew kernels with a declared kernel form and commercial quality state
How much	1 kg net mass of packed cashew kernels, excluding transport packaging not sold with the product
How well	Conforming to the producer's declared grade and lot specification, with defects, moisture or conditioning state, and packing condition reported
How long or cycle	One identified production lot or campaign; no storage service duration is included beyond on-site processing and packing
reference_flow_link	Net conforming packed-kernel output from kernel_packing

Field	Value
Reference amount	1 kg
Reference product flow	Cashew nuts, shelled 8e888f2c-671c-44bf-8607-1bde41ac66b8
Reference flow property	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66
Reference unit group	Units of mass 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66
Reference unit	kg
Required qualifiers	kernel form and grade; lot or campaign identifier; origin and supplier-lot traceability of received nuts; kernel-release conditioning route; moisture or conditioning state and measurement basis; defect and reject basis; packing material and pack size; vacuum or protective-atmosphere treatment; net-mass basis; co-product and waste disposition

When constructing a foreground data package, the items listed in Required qualifiers must be declared in dataset metadata, process notes, reference flow comment, product description, or an equivalent data package field. Missing required qualifiers make the reference flow definition incomplete for that data package.

4. Measurement and Unit Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Required property	Required unit	Rule
MU-01	reference product and all mass-balance rows	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Record net mass on the stated as-supplied basis. Exclude pallets and transport packaging from the reference amount, and report their masses as separate inputs.
MU-02	received nuts, kernels, rejects, and residues	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Retain weighed mass, measurement time, and moisture or conditioning state. Do not convert between as-received and dry-matter mass unless measured moisture and the conversion formula are reported.
MU-03	electricity, fuel, purchased heat, and generated steam	Energy appropriate to the selected flow	kWh or MJ	Preserve the invoiced or metered energy unit and conversion factor. Do not add steam, fuel input, and derived useful heat as simultaneous energy inputs for the same route unless each represents a distinct, non-overlapping boundary crossing.
MU-04	packaging reported by item count	Mass for inventory normalization	kg	Convert item counts to packaging mass using lot-specific item count and verified unit mass; retain both raw fields and identify primary, secondary, and transport packaging separately.

5. System Boundary

Boundary Abstraction

Field	Value
declared_starting_condition	Received cashew nuts in shell, identified by supplier lot and recorded mass and moisture or conditioning state
starting_condition_role	Upstream agricultural and post-harvest production is represented by the linked input dataset; the foreground starts at production-site receipt
product_classification_scope	Edible cashew kernels within the semantic scope of CPC 3.0 subclass 21424; the CPC reference is classification context, not canonical identity
recursive_input_rule	Purchased shelled kernels or returned same-category kernels must remain explicit inputs. Reworked on-site kernels are tracked by lot and netted from gross intermediate output so the same material is not counted recursively.
upstream_dataset_requirement	Link received in-shell nuts, utilities, auxiliary materials, and packaging to representative upstream datasets with geography, technology, time, and allocation compatibility disclosed
disclosure	Declare site, period, lot aggregation, input origin, conditioning route, on-site combustion, drying and peeling technology, grade, packing configuration, storage included within the gate, co-product disposition, waste treatment, allocation, and all provisional-estimate replacements

Boundary Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
SB-01	foreground system	Include receipt through packed conforming kernel at the production-site gate, including internal handling, kernel-release conditioning, shelling, separation, drying or conditioning, peeling, grading, and packing when performed for the declared lot.	eu-pef-2021-2279
SB-02	upstream and downstream stages	Represent purchased inputs by linked upstream datasets. Exclude cultivation, off-site transport after the gate, retail, use, and end-of-life from this foreground unit process and disclose any downstream model that adds them.	eu-pef-2021-2279
SB-03	kernel-release conditioning	Assign each lot to exactly one primary conditioning branch: steam/wet-heat, dry-heat/roasting, hot-oil, or another documented route. If a site uses multiple routes, split their records and outputs into separate unit processes or route-specific datasets; do not apply mutually exclusive branches simultaneously to one lot.
SB-04	emissions and waste treatment	Include on-site emissions and waste treatment within the gate when generated or operated on site; otherwise link the exported waste or treatment service and disclose the receiving route.	eu-pef-2021-2279

6. Process Inventory Structure

Process Map

process_id	process_name	inclusion	inclusion_condition	role	quantitative_reference
kernel_release_shelling	Kernel-release conditioning, shelling, and separation	required	Apply one and only one declared conditioning branch to each lot; route-specific inputs not used by that branch are zero and omitted	foreground production	mass of separated edible kernel leaving the process
kernel_finishing	Kernel drying or conditioning, peeling, and grading	required	Include each operation actually performed; record bypassed unit operations as not applicable rather than simultaneous alternative routes	foreground production and quality finishing	mass of conforming graded kernel leaving the process
kernel_packing	Kernel packing	required	Include the declared pack configuration; vacuum and protective-atmosphere branches are mutually exclusive unless distinct packs are modelled separately	foreground packing	1 kg net packed conforming kernel

Process: Kernel-release conditioning, shelling, and separation (kernel_release_shelling)

Inputs

Product flows

Received cashew nuts in shell (received_in_shell_nuts)

Received in-shell nuts cross the foreground gate as the principal material input. Their supplier lot, origin, measured mass, and moisture or conditioning state are retained.

• Selected flow: Cashew nuts in shell
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured received mass assigned to the processed lot
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material_mass_balance
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace when a complete representative campaign provides reviewed mass-balance evidence
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 2
  • Upper: 10
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: received in-shell nut mass per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Route-specific conditioning utilities (conditioning_utilities)

Record the actual electricity, fuel, purchased heat, steam, or hot oil crossing the boundary for the selected conditioning branch. Create separate inventory exchanges for distinct carriers; the normalized row is a compact role pattern and never authorizes simultaneous mutually exclusive branches.

• Selected flow: Site-selected energy carrier, purchased heat, or process utility
• Flow property / unit: Energy / MJ, preserving original kWh or fuel-unit records and conversions
• Amount rule: metered, invoiced, or stock-balance use assigned only to the declared conditioning route
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Route-specific (route_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg separated edible kernel output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_utility_records
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only when route records are incomplete and replace when route-specific metering or reconciled purchase records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 50
  • Unit: MJ/kg separated kernel
  • Basis: aggregate purchased energy crossing the boundary per 1 kg separated edible kernel, without double counting derived heat
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Conditioning water (conditioning_water)

Include water only for the selected branch when it is supplied to soaking, steaming, cleaning, or other documented conditioning. A route with no water input records the row as not applicable.

• Selected flow: Process water
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured or metered water assigned to the lot and selected route
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Route-specific (route_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg separated edible kernel output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_utility_records
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace when route-specific water measurements are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 20
  • Unit: kg/kg separated kernel
  • Basis: water supplied per 1 kg separated edible kernel
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Outputs

Product flows

Separated edible kernels (separated_kernel_output)

This intermediate is the weighed kernel mass transferred to finishing, before final grading and packing.

• Selected flow: Cashew kernel, ungraded intermediate
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured transfer mass reconciled to the lot mass balance
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material_mass_balance
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed lot-level kernel-yield records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 3
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: separated edible kernel transferred per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Shells and testa recovered as co-product (shell_residue_coproduct)

Record only the measured fraction intentionally sold or supplied for a documented beneficial use. The same mass must not also appear as waste.

• Selected flow: Cashew shells and testa, declared co-product
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured dispatched co-product mass by lot and receiving use
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_residue_disposition
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed disposition and mass-balance records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 9
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: co-product shell and testa mass per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

Shells and testa sent as waste (shell_residue_waste)

Record only the measured fraction transferred to waste management. For each residue fraction, co-product and waste dispositions are mutually exclusive.

• Selected flow: Cashew shells and testa waste
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured waste mass by lot and documented treatment destination
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_residue_disposition
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed disposition and mass-balance records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 9
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: waste shell and testa mass per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Elementary flows

Route-specific direct emissions (conditioning_direct_emissions)

When fuel or hot-oil systems produce emissions on site, report each elementary flow separately using a reviewed factor or direct measurement. Omit this pattern only when no direct release occurs within the foreground boundary.

• Selected flow: Pollutant-specific elementary flow selected for the declared route
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured release or actual fuel use multiplied by a disclosed, reviewed pollutant-specific factor
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Route-specific (route_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg separated edible kernel output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_direct_emissions
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only to flag candidate records and replace when route-specific measurements or reviewed factors are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 50
  • Unit: kg per pollutant/kg separated kernel
  • Basis: each pollutant is screened separately per 1 kg separated edible kernel
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Process: Kernel drying or conditioning, peeling, and grading (kernel_finishing)

Inputs

Product flows

Separated edible kernels received for finishing (finishing_kernel_input)

Record the weighed transfer from shelling to avoid treating internal output as newly produced material.

• Selected flow: Cashew kernel, ungraded intermediate
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured transferred mass matched to separated_kernel_output
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material_mass_balance
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed lot-level transfer records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 3
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: finishing input per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Finishing utilities (finishing_utilities)

Record electricity, fuel, purchased heat, compressed air, or other material utilities actually used for drying or conditioning, peeling, sorting, and grading. Separate distinct carriers in the implemented inventory.

• Selected flow: Site-selected electricity, energy carrier, purchased heat, or material utility
• Flow property / unit: Energy / MJ for energy; carrier-specific unit for non-energy utilities
• Amount rule: metered, invoiced, or stock-balance use assigned to the finishing lot
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg conforming graded kernel output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_utility_records
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only when finishing records are incomplete and replace when process-specific metering or reconciled purchase records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 30
  • Unit: MJ/kg conforming graded kernel
  • Basis: aggregate purchased energy crossing the boundary per 1 kg conforming graded kernel, without double counting derived energy
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Outputs

Product flows

Conforming graded kernels (graded_kernel_output)

Record kernels accepted for the declared form and grade and transferred to packing.

• Selected flow: Cashew nuts, shelled 8e888f2c-671c-44bf-8607-1bde41ac66b8
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: measured accepted mass after grading
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_quality_and_output_records
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed grade-yield records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 2
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: conforming graded kernel transferred per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Off-grade kernels recovered as co-product (off_grade_kernel_coproduct)

Record the measured off-grade fraction as a co-product only when it is intentionally sold or transferred for a documented product use. Do not also record the same fraction as waste.

• Selected flow: Off-grade cashew kernel, declared co-product
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured dispatched mass by lot and receiving use
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_residue_disposition
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed disposition and grade-yield records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: off-grade kernel co-product per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

Off-grade kernels and peelings sent as waste (finishing_reject_waste)

Record measured rejects and peelings sent to waste treatment. Any recovered product fraction is excluded from this row and recorded under its product disposition.

• Selected flow: Cashew kernel reject and peeling waste
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured waste mass by lot and treatment destination
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_residue_disposition
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed disposition and grade-yield records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: finishing reject and peeling waste per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Elementary flows

Process: Kernel packing (kernel_packing)

Inputs

Product flows

Conforming graded kernel input (packing_kernel_input)

Record the weighed kernel transfer into the declared packing configuration.

• Selected flow: Cashew nuts, shelled 8e888f2c-671c-44bf-8607-1bde41ac66b8
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: measured mass entering packing, reconciled with packed output and packing-stage losses
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_quality_and_output_records
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed packing mass-balance records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 1.2
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: graded kernel entering packing per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Primary and secondary packaging (packaging_materials)

Record each packaging material separately from verified purchase, issue, or item-count records. Transport packaging is included only when it crosses the declared factory gate with the product and is reported separately.

• Selected flow: Material-specific packaging flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured issued mass or item count multiplied by verified unit mass for each packaging layer
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_packaging_records
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace when reviewed pack-specific issue and unit-mass records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.001
  • Upper: 0.2
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: total packaging material mass per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Packing electricity and atmosphere gas (packing_utilities)

Record packing electricity and, only for the selected pack branch, vacuum-system use or protective-atmosphere gas. Vacuum and protective-atmosphere gas are not applied simultaneously unless separate pack outputs are modelled.

• Selected flow: Electricity and declared packing-atmosphere gas as separate implemented exchanges
• Flow property / unit: Energy / MJ for electricity; Mass / kg for atmosphere gas
• Amount rule: metered or allocated electricity and purchased gas stock balance assigned by pack output
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_utility_records
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only when packing utility records are incomplete and replace when pack-line metering or reconciled purchase records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 10
  • Unit: MJ-equivalent/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: separately reported packing electricity and gas normalized to 1 kg net packed conforming kernel; do not sum unlike physical flows in the implemented inventory
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Outputs

Product flows

Packed shelled cashew kernels (packed_kernel_reference_output)

This is the declared reference product after net-mass verification and release against the stated lot and grade specification.

• Selected flow: Cashew nuts, shelled 8e888f2c-671c-44bf-8607-1bde41ac66b8
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: exactly 1 kg net conforming packed product for the normalized dataset
• Value mode: Fixed value (fixed_value)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Method formula (method_formula)
• Sources: eu-pef-2021-2279
• Range: Declared reference equality
  • Range role: Allowed range (allowed_range)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg
  • Basis: normalized reference flow
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Method formula (method_formula)
  • Sources: eu-pef-2021-2279

Waste flows

Packing rejects and packaging scrap (packing_waste)

Record kernels rejected at packing and packaging material discarded on site, separated by actual material and treatment destination.

• Selected flow: Material-specific packing waste
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured waste mass by material and treatment destination
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_residue_disposition
• Range: Conditional provisional screening range; use only for candidate QA and replace after reviewed packing loss and waste records are available
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.2
  • Unit: kg/kg net packed kernel
  • Basis: packing reject and packaging scrap mass per 1 kg net packed conforming kernel
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Elementary flows

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
AL-01	all shared operations	Prefer process subdivision, route-separated metering, and direct assignment of inputs, emissions, and wastes to lots or product grades before allocation.	eu-pef-2021-2279
AL-02	shells, testa, off-grade kernels, and peelings	Classify each measured fraction once as internal reuse, product/co-product, or waste according to documented disposition. Never report the same mass simultaneously as co-product and waste.
AL-03	unavoidable shared burdens with co-products	Use a documented physical causal relationship when it represents the process. If no defensible physical relationship exists, use contemporaneous net economic values and disclose prices, period, geography, and sensitivity. No default allocation factor is prescribed.	eu-pef-2021-2279
AL-04	waste and exported residues	Assign on-site handling and treatment burdens to the foreground process. Do not claim avoided-product or recycling credits unless a separately declared downstream modelling method and substitution evidence are provided.	eu-pef-2021-2279

8. Foreground Data Collection, Calculation, and Quality Rules

Data Collection Protocols

protocol_id	process_id	flow_role	record_type	raw_fields	collection_method	unit	frequency	temporal_coverage	site_scope	aggregation_rule	quality_evidence
cp_material_mass_balance	kernel_release_shelling; kernel_finishing	received material, internal transfers, kernels, shells, peelings, and rejects	weighbridge, calibrated scale, batch sheet	lot_id; route_id; timestamp; gross_mass; tare_mass; net_mass; moisture_or_conditioning_state; destination	weigh every received lot and material transfer; reconcile transfers and stock change	kg	each lot and transfer	representative production campaign covering normal route operation	each production site and route	sum net masses by lot and route; retain opening and closing stock before normalization	scale calibration; signed batch record; lot traceability; reconciliation record
cp_utility_records	all processes	electricity, fuels, purchased heat, steam, water, compressed air, atmosphere gas	submeter, invoice, tank or cylinder stock balance, operating log	meter_start; meter_end; purchase_quantity; opening_stock; closing_stock; route_id; operating_hours; allocation_driver	prefer route or line metering; otherwise reconcile purchases and stock and allocate with a disclosed causal driver	original unit plus MJ for energy and kg for mass	meter reading each shift or lot; invoice and stock reconciliation monthly	same period as production output, covering normal operation and material start-up or shutdown events	each site, route, and packing line	subtract closing from opening plus purchases; assign to route; convert units once; normalize to matching process output	meter calibration; invoices; conversion factors; allocation worksheet
cp_residue_disposition	all processes	co-products, internal reuse, rejects, waste, and treatment routes	scale ticket, dispatch note, waste manifest, internal transfer record	lot_id; material_type; mass; disposition_class; recipient; treatment; date	weigh each disposition and link it to the originating lot or campaign	kg	each dispatch or internal transfer	same campaign as product mass balance	each site and receiving route	aggregate by material and mutually exclusive disposition; reconcile with mass balance	scale calibration; dispatch or waste document; recipient evidence
cp_quality_and_output_records	kernel_finishing; kernel_packing	conforming grade, moisture or conditioning state, defects, pack release, and net output	laboratory or production quality record, packing check, calibrated scale	lot_id; kernel_form; grade; test_method; sample_plan; moisture_or_conditioning_result; defect_result; pack_size; net_mass; release_status	sample and assess the lot under the declared specification; weigh released output	kg plus method-specific quality units	each released lot	all lots included in the dataset period	each site, grade, and packing configuration	retain lot results; sum released net mass only; do not merge incompatible grades or states without disclosure	test method; sampling record; instrument calibration; release authorization
cp_packaging_records	kernel_packing	primary, secondary, and transport packaging	purchase or issue record, bill of materials, item count and unit-mass test	material_id; layer; item_count; unit_mass; issued_mass; returned_mass; pack_output_mass	weigh issued material or multiply counted items by verified unit mass; reconcile returns and scrap	kg	each packaging batch or production campaign	same period as packed output	each packing configuration	issued minus returns, separated by material and layer, normalized to packed net output	supplier specification; unit-mass test; issue and return record
cp_direct_emissions	kernel_release_shelling	on-site pollutant release from route-specific combustion or process equipment	direct measurement or calculated emission record	route_id; fuel_quantity; fuel_property; pollutant; factor; factor_source; control_efficiency; measured_release	measure each release or calculate from collected fuel using a reviewed pollutant-specific factor	kg per pollutant	each monitoring period or fuel batch	same period as route output	each on-site emission source	calculate each pollutant separately; aggregate only identical elementary flows; normalize to separated kernel output	monitoring report or fuel record; factor citation; calculation sheet; control record

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
CAL-01	all inventory rows	normalized amount = lot- or campaign-assigned amount / net conforming packed-kernel output; preserve the process-output basis where a row is explicitly process-normalized	assigned quantity; net conforming packed output; process output when applicable	quantity per reference flow or declared process output	eu-pef-2021-2279
CAL-02	as-received and dry-matter reporting	dry mass = as-received mass x (1 - measured moisture fraction); perform this conversion only when moisture fraction and method are available, and retain the original as-received mass	weighed mass; measured moisture fraction; test method	separately labelled dry mass and conversion record	unece-ddp-17-cashew-kernels-2023
CAL-03	route and pack alternatives	keep each mutually exclusive conditioning or packing branch separate; aggregate only after weighting route-specific inventories by measured conforming output, never by adding full alternative inventories to one lot	route identifier; branch-specific inputs and outputs; conforming output	route-specific inventory and any disclosed production-weighted aggregate
CAL-04	packaging by count	packaging mass = issued item count x verified unit mass, adjusted for returned unused items and separately measured scrap	item count; unit mass; returns; scrap	packaging input and packing waste by material
CAL-05	mass balance	balance difference = received material inputs - product outputs - co-product outputs - waste outputs - documented stock change; investigate rather than force an unexplained difference into a product or waste row	all measured material masses; opening and closing stock	disclosed mass-balance reconciliation and unresolved difference

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
DQ-01	product identity	Preserve the CPC classification context, Tiangong product-flow UUID, kernel form, grade, lot, origin, moisture or conditioning state, and packing qualifiers.	product specification; unsd-cpc-3-0-21424; unece-ddp-17-cashew-kernels-2023
DQ-02	representativeness	Cover normal operation for each declared site, technology, conditioning route, grade, and pack configuration; disclose excluded lots, disruptions, start-ups, shutdowns, and seasonal limitations.	production schedule; route register; completeness statement; eu-pef-2021-2279
DQ-03	measurements and calculations	Use calibrated mass measurements, retain original utility units and conversion factors, document allocation drivers, and keep raw records traceable to normalized rows.	calibration records; invoices; batch sheets; calculation and allocation workbooks
DQ-04	provisional ranges	Treat every reasoned_estimate range as conditional candidate QA guidance, not as a default LCI amount. Replace it when the first complete representative campaign, reviewed supplier data, or source-backed range for the same route and basis becomes available.	replacement log; reviewed foreground dataset or external source record
DQ-05	completeness	Reconcile product, co-product, waste, and stock-change masses and document all exclusions, missing meters, proxy datasets, unquantified emissions, and data gaps.	mass-balance report; data-gap register; eu-pef-2021-2279

9. Validation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
VAL-01	reference flow	Confirm that the reference output is exactly 1 kg net packed conforming kernel and uses product-flow UUID 8e888f2c-671c-44bf-8607-1bde41ac66b8, Mass UUID 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66, unit-group UUID 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66, and kg.
VAL-02	product and lot metadata	Reject an incomplete data package when any required qualifier is missing or when product scope includes in-shell nuts or a formulated or further-processed excluded product.	unsd-cpc-3-0-21424; unece-ddp-17-cashew-kernels-2023
VAL-03	route exclusivity	Confirm one primary kernel-release conditioning route per lot and one packing-atmosphere branch per pack output. When alternatives occur, require separate route records or production-weighted aggregation; reject simultaneous full-route inventories for one lot.
VAL-04	co-product and waste disposition	Confirm that every residue mass has one disposition and that no shell, testa, peeling, reject, or off-grade kernel mass is counted both as product/co-product and waste.
VAL-05	inventory evidence	Confirm collection-protocol linkage for collected and calculated rows, source identifiers for external or method evidence, original-unit retention, route-specific normalization, and disclosure of all substituted datasets and allocation choices.	eu-pef-2021-2279
VAL-06	provisional estimates	Flag every reasoned_estimate as candidate-only and verify its stated replacement trigger. Do not accept such a range as a publication-critical allowed range without explicit methodology review and source-backed replacement or documented acceptance.
VAL-07	mass balance and completeness	Confirm reconciliation of received nuts, kernels, co-products, wastes, and stock change; report the unexplained difference and all skipped checks rather than silently balancing it.	eu-pef-2021-2279

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	Foreground unit-process data package for shelled cashew-kernel production and packing; eligible for publication as a secondary_dataset or background_dataset only after review
downstream_use	Construction of TianGong process records and lifecyclemodel systems requiring a factory-gate shelled-cashew-kernel input
allowed_use	Route-, site-, period-, grade-, and pack-specific gate-to-gate modelling with representative upstream datasets linked for received nuts, utilities, auxiliary materials, and packaging
excluded_use	Agricultural production, post-gate distribution, retail, consumption, or end-of-life without added datasets; formulated or further-processed cashew foods; combining mutually exclusive full routes; using provisional ranges as unqualified default LCI amounts
required_metadata	canonical PCR id; CPC context; Tiangong flow UUIDs; site and period; supplier-lot origin; conditioning route; kernel form and grade; moisture or conditioning state and test basis; defect and reject basis; pack material, size, and atmosphere; co-product and waste dispositions; allocation; upstream dataset references
required_quality_disclosure	lot coverage and exclusions; calibration; mass-balance difference; utility allocation; on-site emissions; representativeness; data gaps; proxy datasets; provisional estimates and replacement status; source and method versions
update_trigger	Material change in supplier origin, product specification, route, equipment, utility mix, yield or reject pattern, residue disposition, allocation, pack configuration, measurement method, dataset representativeness, or availability of evidence that replaces a provisional range

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
unsd-cpc-3-0-21424	official_guidance	United Nations Statistics Division, Central Product Classification (CPC), Version 3.0, subclass 21424, “Cashew nuts, shelled”	Classification context and category label only
unece-ddp-17-cashew-kernels-2023	standard	UNECE Standard DDP-17 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of cashew kernels, current WP.7 listing (2023)	Kernel identity and quality, measurement, and packing qualifiers; not LCI default amounts
eu-pef-2021-2279	official_guidance	Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/2279 on the use of the Environmental Footprint methods to measure and communicate life-cycle environmental performance	Boundary, inventory, allocation, data-quality, normalization, and disclosure method framework