Why Do They Dye Pistachios Red?

Bob Simon said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

She came up with a couple of ideas: It's a plot hatched by
the red dye #2 lobby. It makes them "pretty" for XMas.

Does anyone know?

Yes.

Pastorio

Bob Simon <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

She came up with a couple of ideas: It's a plot hatched by
the red dye #2 lobby. It makes them "pretty" for XMas.

Does anyone know?

--
Bob Simon The Truth may be out there but it can be hard
to find.

--
Bob Simon remove x from domain for private replies

To separate them from the white ones and natural ones! :-)

Actually, I haven't seen red pistachios for many years!!!
Mostly they are now undyed.

Hmmmm. Your google skills need a little work... ;-) check
out eagleranchpistachios.comfaqs.htmOpen ↗ or
en.wikipedia.orgPistachioOpen ↗

The nuts harvested in the middle east tended to have
blemishes. The red dye was to hide them, and a
marketing gimmick.

"Bob Simon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

She came up with a couple of ideas: It's a plot hatched by
the red dye #2 lobby. It makes them "pretty" for XMas.

Does anyone know?

--
Bob Simon The Truth may be out there but it can be hard
to find.

--
Bob Simon remove x from domain for private replies

Bob Simon said:

Does anyone know?

I grew up being told that years ago there was a wide
variation in pistachio crops. The government made pistachios
from certain countries with lower quality pistachios color
theirs red so consumers could tell instantly which ones were
good and which ones were bad. Or maybe it was all foreign
pistachios... I do not remember for sure.

This story might not be true, I never researched it to be
sure. But you asked, so I shared what I remember. In either
case I believe there is no longer any difference, the dye is
purely aesthetic.

--
John Gaughan johngaughan.netjohngaughan.netOpen ↗
[email hidden]

"Bob Simon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

Liar. I did a google search and the first hit was
pistachios.org This was the first question listed in the
FAQ.

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know?

Lazy jackass.

pistachios.orgFAQ.aspOpen ↗

Originally, pistachios were imported into the US from the
middle east. The traditional harvesting methods left
unsightly blemishes on the nuts that seemed to turn off US
consumers. US importers found that if the masked the
pistachio blemishes using red vegetable dye, they sold more
to US consumers (who, at the time, seemed ready to accept
that the nuts might naturally be that color).

Since the 1970s the US has developed domestic pistachio
crops and no longer needs to import the ratty looking middle
eastern nuts. Nice looking pistachios combined with cost
conciousness on the producer side and health consciousness
on the consumer side has made the blonde pistachio variety
quite a bit more popular than the red kind. Today, "red"
probably indicates "low-grade".

Not that the dye is actually harmful anyway. Like many dyes,
it probably has some beneficial low level of antibacterial
or antifungal activity. However, just as many people were
once willing to accept that red was a natural color for this
nut, they're just as willing to accept the equally well-
founded belief that the "unnaturalness" of the dye poses a
health risk.

Dye-free is probably a superior if only because it requires
less resources to produce.

Bob Simon said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

She came up with a couple of ideas: It's a plot hatched by
the red dye #2 lobby. It makes them "pretty" for XMas.

Does anyone know?

--
Bob Simon The Truth may be out there but it can be hard
to find.

--
Bob Simon remove x from domain for private replies

--
remove .spam from address to reply by e-mail.

Mr. Wizard said:

"Bob Simon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a
quick google search but didn't find anything relevant.

Liar. I did a google search and the first hit was
pistachios.org This was the first question listed in
the FAQ.

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know?

Lazy jackass.

pistachios.orgFAQ.aspOpen ↗

You're mean.

Practice safe eating - always use condiments

James McIninch said:

Originally, pistachios were imported into the US from the
middle east. The traditional harvesting methods left
unsightly blemishes on the nuts that seemed to turn off
US consumers. US importers found that if the masked the
pistachio blemishes using red vegetable dye, they sold
more to US consumers (who, at the time, seemed ready to
accept that the nuts might naturally be that color).

Since the 1970s the US has developed domestic pistachio
crops and no longer needs to import the ratty looking
middle eastern nuts. Nice looking pistachios combined
with cost conciousness on the producer side and health
consciousness on the consumer side has made the blonde
pistachio variety quite a bit more popular than the red
kind. Today, "red" probably indicates "low-grade".

LOLL! Never, in my entire lifetime, have I associated RED
pistachios with a lower grade and no one I know has ever
mentioned it to me. I like the red ones - they have better
eye appeal.... and I've never noticed a price difference.

Practice safe eating - always use condiments

James McIninch said:

Originally, pistachios were imported into the US from the
middle east. The traditional harvesting methods left
unsightly blemishes on the nuts that seemed to turn off US
consumers. US importers found that if the masked the
pistachio blemishes using red vegetable dye, they sold
more to US consumers (who, at the time, seemed ready to
accept that the nuts might naturally be that color).

Since the 1970s the US has developed domestic pistachio
crops and no longer needs to import the ratty looking
middle eastern nuts. Nice looking pistachios combined with
cost conciousness on the producer side and health
consciousness on the consumer side has made the blonde
pistachio variety quite a bit more popular than the red
kind. Today, "red" probably indicates "low-grade".

Not that the dye is actually harmful anyway. Like many
dyes, it probably has some beneficial low level of
antibacterial or antifungal activity. However, just as
many people were once willing to accept that red was a
natural color for this nut, they're just as willing to
accept the equally well-founded belief that the
"unnaturalness" of the dye poses a health risk.

Dye-free is probably a superior if only because it
requires less resources to produce.

Bob Simon said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

She came up with a couple of ideas: It's a plot hatched by
the red dye #2 lobby. It makes them "pretty" for XMas.

Does anyone know?

--
Bob Simon The Truth may be out there but it can be hard
to find.

--
Bob Simon remove x from domain for private replies

When I was a kid growing up in Greece (1955-1958), we had
red-colored pistachios and they were NOT under any US
auspices. So this as a reason is bogus.

jim

James McIninch said:

Originally, pistachios were imported into the US from the
middle east. The traditional harvesting methods left
unsightly blemishes on the nuts that seemed to turn off US
consumers. US importers found that if the masked the
pistachio blemishes using red vegetable dye, they sold
more to US consumers (who, at the time, seemed ready to
accept that the nuts might naturally be that color).

Since the 1970s the US has developed domestic pistachio
crops and no longer needs to import the ratty looking
middle eastern nuts. Nice looking pistachios combined with
cost conciousness on the producer side and health
consciousness on the consumer side has made the blonde
pistachio variety quite a bit more popular than the red
kind. Today, "red" probably indicates "low-grade".

Not that the dye is actually harmful anyway. Like many
dyes, it probably has some beneficial low level of
antibacterial or antifungal activity. However, just as
many people were once willing to accept that red was a
natural color for this nut, they're just as willing to
accept the equally well-founded belief that the
"unnaturalness" of the dye poses a health risk.

Dye-free is probably a superior if only because it
requires less resources to produce.

Bob Simon said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

She came up with a couple of ideas: It's a plot hatched by
the red dye #2 lobby. It makes them "pretty" for XMas.

Does anyone know?

--
Bob Simon The Truth may be out there but it can be hard
to find.

--
Bob Simon remove x from domain for private replies

California Pistachio Board BS.

I was eating red pistachios in Greece from 1955-1958 and
they certainly were not governed by the US.

jim

"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mr. Wizard said:

"Bob Simon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a
quick google search but didn't find anything
relevant.

Liar. I did a google search and the first hit was
pistachios.org This was the first question listed in
the FAQ.

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know?

Lazy jackass.

pistachios.orgFAQ.aspOpen ↗

You're mean.

99.9999% of the time I'm a nice guy. This guy kills me
though. He told his wife, "I did a google search honey
and didn't find any answers." while he surfed [censored] and
then got people here to do the work for him.

Bob Simon said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

She came up with a couple of ideas: It's a plot hatched by
the red dye #2 lobby. It makes them "pretty" for XMas.

Does anyone know?

What I want to know is: Why do they dye pistachios green?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a quick
google search but didn't find anything relevant.

-----------------------------
Posted - 01/14/2004 : 10:44:45
------------------------------------------------------------
--------------
------

The first pistachios available to consumers were imported
from the Middle East. American importers dyed the shells
red, both to disguise staining from antiquated harvesting
methods and to make pistachios stand out among other nuts in
vending machines.

Until the 1970s, there was no domestic pistachio industry in
the United States. California harvested its first commercial
crop in 1976. The entry of California pistachios into the
marketplace made available nuts with clean, naturally tan
shells. California's Kerman variety is also larger in size
with a more vibrant green nut color. A small percentage of
California's crop is dyed red, not by necessity, but to meet
the needs of those consumers who prefer the colorful shell.

Tim Challenger said:

What I want to know is: Why do they dye pistachios green?

Because they ran out of red dye?

My earliest memories of pistachios where in red and white.
The white one's were encrusted in salt, the red ones were
not. I recall green pistachios and figure they were probably
just an Xmas variation, just like the red and green tortilla
chips one now sees during the holidays.

nb

In article said:

99.9999% of the time I'm a nice guy.

Liar. Google shows only 295 posts by you to
rec.[censored].cooking. Since you weren't nice in one of
them, the most you can claim is 99.6610% of the time
you're a nice guy.

Quoted message said:

This guy kills me though. He told his wife, "I did a
google search honey and didn't find any answers." while
he surfed [censored] and then got people here to do the work
for him.

My experience suggests that results from Google vary widely
depending on the precise search terms. When I checked, your
referenced URL came up fifth instead of first.

Mike Beede

"Mike Beede" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article
<[email hidden]>, Mr.
Wizard

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

99.9999% of the time I'm a nice guy.

Liar. Google shows only 295 posts by you to
rec.[censored].cooking. Since you weren't nice in one of them,
the most you can claim is 99.6610% of the

time

Quoted message said:

you're a nice guy.

I stand corrected.

(PENMART01) said:

You did not write that... next time give credit with proper
attributions.

YEAH! Do like Sheldon does and illegally post excerpts from
his fee-based encyclopedia. Hypocrite.

"If you (or a legal entity you control) own and operate a
Web site or engage in other Internet activity, such as
electronic commerce, communication, publishing and
transmission, and want to download, post, publish, or use
Materials for any such Web site or Internet activity, you
will need permission from Britannica, even though your Web
site or Internet activity is free of charge. Unless you are
a student, or your use of the Materials is short term and
minimal, your use of the Materials may be subject to
copyright and other legal restrictions."

From: corporate.britannica.comtermsofuse.htmlOpen ↗

-sw

"Mr. Wizard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mr. Wizard said:

"Bob Simon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
> My wife asked me if I could find out why so I did a
> quick google search but didn't find anything
> relevant.
>
Liar. I did a google search and the first hit was
pistachios.org This was the first question listed in
the FAQ.
>
> Does anyone know?
>
Lazy jackass.

pistachios.orgFAQ.aspOpen ↗

You're mean.

99.9999% of the time I'm a nice guy. This guy kills me
though. He told his wife, "I did a google search honey
and didn't find any answers." while he surfed [censored] and
then got people here to do the work for him.

LOL

"Mike Beede" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article
<[email hidden]>, Mr.
Wizard

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

99.9999% of the time I'm a nice guy.

Liar. Google shows only 295 posts by you to
rec.[censored].cooking. Since you weren't nice in one of them,
the most you can claim is 99.6610% of the

time

Quoted message said:

you're a nice guy.

Ok, so he's 'virtually' a nice guy. Next topic!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

This guy kills me though. He told his wife, "I did a
google search honey and didn't find any answers." while
he surfed [censored] and then got people here to do the work
for him.

My experience suggests that results from Google vary
widely depending on the precise search terms. When I
checked, your referenced URL came up fifth instead
of first.

The OP (Nowhere to be found) didn't try too hard, dat fo
sho.

Jack Sloth