Food Institute Report November, 2004
PRUNES: The California industry has seen a production low not seen since World War 1, and growers stand to lose up to $100 million due to a crop decimated by weather. Consumers will feel the pinch too as prices for raw prunes are expected to spike to record highs and retail prices will jump to record highs in the wake of what might be the smallest commercial prune harvest in California history. Industry experts say this may be the smallest crop since 1918. Estimates are now at about 45,000 tons, down from 176,000 tons in 2003.
RAISINS: California now expects production of raisin grapes to be down from last year dramatically, pulling down the state’s overall crop size. Although figures are not yet available on 2004 acreage, industry sources indicate huge reductions on Thompson seedless varieties. Ultimately this will greatly affect retails coming into the holiday season.
Did You Know?
Understanding the % in Chocolate
The percent you read on the label of a chocolate bar indicates the fraction (by weight) of the bar that comes from the cacao bean. Most of the percentage is ground cacao bean, but in many cases it also includes a little added cocoa butter. For example, a 1 ounce chocolate bar marked 75%, ¾ (or 75%) of the bar is unsweetened chocolate, the rest of the bar (25%) are other ingredients. The next ingredient with the largest percentage is usually sugar, and in most cases the remaining ingredients being vanilla and soy lecithin. So, with each bite of chocolate you take, the higher the percentage you see listed on the label the more chocolate you're getting, as opposed to other ingredients, also the less sweet it will be.
Pistachio Nuts
Provided by the California Pistachio Commission
Proposed United States Standards and Grading for Pistachio Nuts: In July 1998, the California Pistachio Commission submitted the following Proposed United States Standards for Grades of Pistachio Nuts to the USDA for their approval. The purpose of this revision was to update the standards to more closely align with current industry practices and market expectations. The USDA review process can take years; however, the industry began grading to the new standards with the 1998 crop.
US Fancy, US Extra No. 1, US No. 1, US Select
US Artificially Opened
US Non-Split
Definitions
Inshell
Includes clean or lightly stained product that has an open or split shell.
Artificially Opened
Closed shell product that has been split by mechanical or other means.
Closed Shell
Includes product with a closed shell that does not meet the specifications of inshell or shelling stock.
Shelling Stock
Includes product with dark stain, adhering hull, closed shells or shell damage.
Loose Kernels
Includes kernels or nutmeats that are not in the shell.
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