Hazelnut kernels

Botany and history
The hazelnut shrub belongs to the birch family. As a wild-growing shrub up to 5 metres high, the hazelnut is native to tropical and subtropical areas throughout Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. Nowadays, hazelnuts are also cultivated in Oregon and Chile.
A warm, humid climate and mild winters are ideal for hazelnuts to thrive. As an early bloomer, the hazelnut bush bears both male catkins and female buds on one plant and is a wind pollinator.
For centuries, many cultures have attributed mythical properties to the hazelnut: To this day, it is a symbol of fertility and life, wisdom, immortality and wish fulfilment. Hazelnut branches were part of pagan and Christian burial offerings and in ancient Rome a hazelnut branch symbolised peace.

Main cultivation countries
Turkey is the largest producer of hazelnuts with a harvest of around 700,000 tonnes. This corresponds to 2/3 of the world's harvest. It is followed by Italy with approx. 90,000 tonnes and the USA with approx. 85,000 tonnes. China, Azerbaijan and Chile each produce around 65,000 tonnes, while Georgia produces up to 45,000 tonnes. 
The main growing region in Turkey is the Levant on the Black Sea with the provinces of Samsun, Ordu, Giresun and Trabzon. Levantine hazelnut kernels are prized for their high quality and excellent flavour. The ‘Giresun’ kernels are easy to blanch due to their high fat content and are particularly suitable for high-quality confectionery products due to their intense flavour. 1/3 of Turkey's hazelnut kernels are grown in the Akcakoca region between the Levant and the Marmara Sea. The newer varieties grown there have a lower fat content (approx. 55%) and therefore a longer shelf life, which is why they are favoured by food retailers.

Processing and use
For harvesting, the ripe hazelnuts are shaken from the tree or picked by hand from the trees. In Turkey, mechanisation of the harvest is not possible in many growing areas due to the steep slopes. 
After drying, cleaning and breaking the nuts, the kernels are processed further. In the food industry, hazelnuts are used in their natural state as whole kernels, blanched, chopped, roasted and as flour and paste. 
Hazelnut kernels are an integral part of confectionery and bakery products, whether in chocolate or pralines, as a nut nougat cream or as an aromatic ingredient in cakes or pastries. Their high content of unsaturated fatty acids, protein, magnesium and vitamin E also makes hazelnuts a popular ingredient in energy-rich nut mixes, bars, snacks, muesli and vegan meat and dairy substitutes.