Pistachio shipment sent back after tests reveal harmful substances

TWO shipments of pistachio nuts were confiscated upon arrival at Limassol port after testing by the Medical Services revealed they contained carcinogenic substances.
The head of the Medical Services, Sophocles Anthousis, told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that many imported products were checked for harmful substances when they arrived in Cyprus.

“We took a sample of the pistachio nuts and the tests revealed they contained carcinogenic substances. This type of carcinogenic is common in nuts,” said Anthousis.
“The incident took place three months ago. We conducted thorough investigations as with all relevant imported products that by law must be checked before cleared by customs.”

The pistachio nuts came from Iran and they were sent back to their country of origin. “We are not permitted by law to clear imported products that do not pass the relevant tests and are harmful to peoples’ health,” said Anthousis.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.