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Pistachios: mysterious discolouration sparks heated debates

September 28, 2023 at 10:53 AM , Der AUDITOR
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SACRAMENTO/TEHRAN. While California’s pistachio industry is refuting USDA intentions of declaring a mysterious discolouration as a damage with large-scale impact, US exports have hit a record. Yet, the opposite is the case in Iran.

Cosmetic shock

A mysterious discolouration first discovered six years ago in the new Golden and Lost Hills pistachio varieties has given rise to heated debates in California. While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has indicated that it intends to consider Internal Kernel Discoloration (IKD) as a damage, the industry vehemently disagrees as Pacific Nut Producer Magazine reports. According to the California Pistachio Research Board IKD is a purely cosmetic concern. The discolouring is internal to the kernels and can only be spotted if they a

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