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|---|---|---|---|
 Today I Found Out | 2016-11-02 16:26:23 |  103,373 Views |
Why were pistachios dyed red in the past?
Not too long ago you could find bright red or pink pistachios in almost every grocery store or supermarket. In some areas these unnaturally red pistachios were the only pistachios available. But if you're under thirty you may never have tasted a red pistachio pistachio seen. So what were these red pistachios and where did they go? It's a more interesting story than you might think.
The pistachio shells that surround the naturally light green flesh are naturally a creamy light beige color. So where does that deep reddish pink color come from? Food historians have conflicting explanations but they all start with red food coloring.
According to one story the tradition of dyeing pistachios originated with a Syrian importer named Zaloom who dyed his pistachios red to distinguish them from his competitors. According to another story pistachios were dyed to mask mottled markings a natural result of the drying process and other imperfections to make them more palatable to consumers. Today most food historians agree that this is the story. Although the mottled naturally dried husks have no effect on the flavor of the nutmeat itself it is known that consumers to judge a book (or pistachio) by its cover. As a result there is a long history of food merchants modifying their products and wares to make them more palatable. The tradition lives on in other areas of food retailing.
