From what I have been led to believe, the nut is toxic unless roasted properly or the fumes from the roasting process can be toxic. The cashew apple, by actual definition according to what I have read, a swollen peduncle (I love saying that) is not toxic. It can be quite astringent though.
What is toxic is the skin covering the nut which has a caustic oil. If you burn the whole nut under controlled conditions (roast) you can retrieve the nut.
Regarding the juice: If you just press the ripe fresh fruit, you get a whitish semi transparent juice, quite high in sugar contents which ferments and can be distilled. If you put some fresh fruit and some water in a blender (Osterizer) and then filter you get juice to which you have to add sugar . The second type is sold industrially.
mangaba
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Great Information. Thanks
Here is something I found on wikipedia on making FENI
Cashew feni
In the traditional method of making cashew feni, only tree ripened cashew apples that have fallen are picked and taken for the crush. The cashew apples are de-seeded and then dropped into the stomping area. This area is called a "colmbi" and is a usually a rock cut into a basin shape. The cashew apples are stomped to release the juice. Stomping has now gradually been replaced by the use of a press called a pingre (cage). The pulp is then hand-pattied into small mounds traditionally using a particular vine, nudi, which is snaked around it to hold it together while a heavy weight (typically a boulder) is placed on top. The juice produced through this process is known as neero, and is refreshing to drink. The fresh neero is traditionally in a large earthen pot called a kodem, which is buried halfway in the ground and left while the juice ferments for several days. Delicate earthen kodem have now been replaced by plastic drums for the sake of practicality. The juice is then allowed to sit for three days as it ferments. No artificial yeast or nutrients are added to hasten the process.
Cashew feni is distilled employing the traditional pot still. A traditional distilling feni still is known as a bhatti. The use of an earthen pot as the boiling pot has now been replaced with copper pots, both known by the same name bhann. The distillate is collected in an earthen pot called a launni. The tradition of cold water being continuously poured on the launni to condense the distillate has now been replaced by immersing a coil in cold water.
Cashew feni is a triple distilled spirit. The first distillate of the fermented neero is known as urrak, about 15% alcohol (30 proof). Urrack is then mixed with neero in a proportion determined by the distiller, and redistilled to give a spirit called "cazulo" 40-42% alc v/v. Cazulo is again distilled with urrack to give a high strength spirit called Feni 45% Alc v/v. Note: Cazulo is generally sold as "Feni" as Feni is considered too strong an alcohol for consumption. All cashew feni now available is double distilled.