Pistachios can be available in the markets year around. In the grocery stores, one may choose shelled, inshell(with-shell), roasted, salted, sweetened, etc put for sale. Try to buy unshelled (with intact outer coat), whole nuts instead of processed ones. They generally made available in airtight packs and in bulk bins.

As with other tree seeds, aflatoxin is found in poorly harvested or processed pistachios. Aflatoxins are potent carcinogenic chemicals produced by molds such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. The mold contamination may occur from soil, poor storage, and spread by pests.

Characteristics

The bush grows up to 10 m (33 ft) tall. It has deciduous pinnate leaves 10–20 centimeters (4–8 inches) long. The plants are dioecious, with separate male and female trees. The flowers are apetalous and unisexual, and borne in panicles.
The fruit is a drupe, containing an elongated seed, which is the edible portion. The seed, commonly thought of as a nut, is a culinary nut, not a botanical nut.

Habitat

water having 3,000–4,000 ppm of soluble salts.Pistachio trees are fairly hardy in the right conditions, and can survive temperatures ranging between −10 °C (14 °F) in winter and 48 °C (118 °F) in summer.