In order to improve the performance of selecting machines for non-conform and damaged hazelnuts and to enhance the numerical modelling of anisotropic behaviour of hazelnuts, the mechanical properties of shells and kernels are useful experimental data. A procedure to experimentally obtain physical and mechanical properties of hazelnuts is described and the optimized specimen shapes to obtain stress to failure and elastic modulus values for kernel and shell are also defined. The procedure is applied to a commercial variety of Italian hazelnuts and the mechanical properties are experimentally obtained both for kernel and shell on specimens made from conform and damaged hazelnuts. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.