Austria: Styrian Identity in Pumpkin Seeds - The History of Fresh Produce

Why does a single spontaneous genetic mutation in a Styrian pumpkin field — sometime in the nineteenth century — matter enough to trigger diplomatic rows, European Parliament debates, and a forensic investigation involving rare earth element fingerprinting? How did an oil so dark it looks like used engine oil become both a peasant medicine worth its weight in gold and a gourmet product evaluated by specialist juries? And why are there now two legally protected "Styrian pumpkin seed oils" from two different countries, both called Styrian?Join John and Patrick as they tell the story of Austria and the green gold of Styria — the hull-less pumpkin, the fraud, the Slovenian oil war, and a landscape that wrote itself into a genome...----------In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: [email protected]