# Cracking Those Nuts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-those-nuts/139755>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 1, 2002, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-those-nuts/139755 "2002-12-01T07:49:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aka\_10003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@aka\_10003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aka_10003)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-those-nuts/139755/1 "2002-12-01T07:49:45Z")

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The pistachios bag described them as “dry roasted, artificially opened.”

How do they artificially open pistachios?

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**Author:** ![Ell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@Ell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ell)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-those-nuts/139755/2 "2002-12-01T07:57:47Z")

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“Artificially Opened Pistachios” are Pistachios that do not open naturally on the tree prior to harvest or in the normal drying process. Artificially opening includes the process of cracking theshell whether by hand or machine.

From [here](http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/mkt/mkt/pdf/pistachioagree.pdf) (Page 3)