How do pistachio shells split? With Shuxiao Zhang and Georgia Drakakaki

We know pistachios, and we love to eat them. Despite pistachio ice cream being the objectively best way to consume this nut , the majority of pistachios are sold in-shell. Have you ever wondered how those shells split? In this episode, Phoebe sits down with Shuxiao (Susan) Zhang and Georgia Drakakaki, two of the authors of a recently published study on the mechanisms behind pistachio shell splitting. They discuss how the cells of a shell enable splitting, whether kernel size really does impact split percentage, and why Golden Hills has a higher split percentage than Kerman.

Photo credit: S. Zhang

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Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.