The hazelnut is a species of the genus Corylus. More than 20 species are known to belong to this genus but the cultivated hazelnut species are Corylus Avellana, Corylus maxima and Corylus pontica. Cultivated hazelnut is widespread in Asia, the Black Sea coast, the Mediterranean and the Pacific coast. The biggest producer of hazelnuts is Turkey (about 75% of the world’s production), followed by Italy, Spain, Greece, etc. In the USA, the production is concentrated in two states – Oregon and Washington. Hazelnuts are rich in proteins and unsaturated fats. |