欧洲的栗树栽培和利用历史悠久，其特产的欧洲栗（Castanea sativa Mill.），是当地重要的干果和硬木来源。意大利是欧洲栗子生产和加工的主要国家。本文概述了欧洲栗的分布、生产和科研，指出由于墨水病和栗疫病的为害导致欧洲栗产量急剧下降，有一些地区种质流失严重。研究工作包括栗疫病的病理学、防治与抗性育种，种质的选择和保存，繁殖、管理与品质改良等。对欧洲栗子的工业化加工，传统的和革新的贮藏方法，栗子的大众食品、高档品及方便食品的制作技术等也作了简要介绍。

There is a long historical period to cultivate and utilize chestnut in Europe. The indigenous species of chestnut, Castanea sativa Mill. , is an important source of nuts and hardwood in this region. Italy is the leading country of chestnut production and processing. The distribution and production as well as research work are reviewed. It showed that chestnut production declined sharply because of fungus disease, and the germplasm lose seriously in some areas. Research programs include the phytopathology, control and resistant breeding of chestnut blight, the selection and conservation of germplasm, propagation and management, improvement of nut quality etc. Some ways of storage including traditional and innovative methods and the processing tecniques of chestnut products of "poor" uses, "luxury", as well as convenience foods are shortly described.