Nut Roaster Trial: Sample and Acceptance Criteria
Assess a machine offer using your own product: prepare a representative sample, record the trial and agree on written acceptance criteria before ordering.
Choose a representative sample, not the best-looking nuts
Use a sample that reflects the batch you expect to process. Record the product, shell condition, any pre-treatment and batch date. A handful of selected, flawless pieces may not show how the machine behaves with ordinary production material. Agree the sample quantity and packing method with the supplier before sending it.
Make “a good roast” specific
Describe the colour, texture and aroma you want, and show an example or photo of defects you will not accept. If moisture or colour is measured, agree on the instrument, sampling point and timing, and who records the result. A visual check can help too, provided lighting, cooling time and the comparison sample are consistent.
Record what changed during the trial
Ask the supplier to note which settings were changed and when. Keep incoming product condition, machine settings, processing time, output observations and any stops in one record. If several products or recipes are tried, record them separately instead of averaging their results together.
Review the cooled product and the next step
A hot sample may look or feel different after it cools. Agree when to assess it and, if it will be packed, when to check it in the package. If breakage, screening loss or packing behaviour matters, include those checks in the trial; a roaster test alone does not validate the whole line.
Put acceptance conditions in the order documents
State the test material, target product characteristics, measurement method, conditions for a repeat trial and each party’s responsibilities. Replace vague wording such as “sample approved” with the actual result and the conditions under which it was achieved. Confirm whether a sample trial is available and what it includes; this guide does not assume every manufacturer provides the same service.