Do
- Store nuts and dry fruits in airtight food-grade containers or sealed bags.
- Keep working stock in a cool, dark, dry storeroom away from ovens and windows.
- For larger quantities held for long periods, refrigerate in airtight containers.
- When taking chilled stock out, let the sealed container reach room temperature before opening to avoid condensation.
- Inspect stock for webbing, insects, mould or a rancid smell.
- Rotate first-in, first-out and buy in quantities matched to usage.
- Roasted and salted nuts go rancid faster than raw; keep them sealed.
Avoid
- Do not store dry fruits in open containers in humid storerooms.
- Do not keep nuts next to strong-smelling items; they absorb odours.
- Do not mix new stock into old stock.
- Do not use nuts that taste bitter or smell like paint.
- Do not store opened packs of nuts loosely folded in a hot storeroom; reseal them or transfer them to airtight jars.
In Indian conditions
Sweet shops, bakeries and caterers buy dry fruits in large quantities ahead of Diwali, Eid and the wedding season. In Indian summers, storerooms can exceed 35 °C, speeding rancidity, and the monsoon brings mould and insects such as weevils and moths. Refrigerating bulk stock in airtight containers is a common, sensible practice, and a deep freezer can also be used for nuts held for months. Cashews and walnuts in particular go stale quickly in heat. Keep dry fruits sealed and away from damp walls, and weigh out a working quantity for the sweet kitchen rather than opening the bulk store every day.
General good practice for commercial kitchens and shops. Where your FSSAI licence conditions or food-safety plan set stricter limits, follow those.