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Title: Almond Growers Seek Delay of Pasteurization Rule
Source: mercola.com
URL Source: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a ... ay-of-pasteurization-rule.aspx
Published: Aug 30, 2007
Author: Dr. Mercola
Post Date: 2007-08-30 21:12:58 by richard9151
Ping List: *Agriculture-Environment*     Subscribe to *Agriculture-Environment*
Keywords: None
Views: 633
Comments: 6

In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that virtually all almonds would have to be pasteurized as of September 1. This new rule was a result of Salmonella outbreaks in 2001 and 2004 that were traced back to raw almonds.

The California Almond Board is now requesting the USDA delay the implementation until March 1, 2008 in order to ensure there’s enough pasteurization capacity available to comply, without disrupting the flow of nuts to the market.

The USDA has stated it will consider the request and publish their decision in the Federal Register by September 1.

San Francisco Gate August 7, 2007


Dr. Mercola's comments;

This San Francisco Gate article states that “pasteurization” is a process where “the shelled and hulled nuts are laid out on a conveyor belt that passes through a moist burst of steam to heat the kernel surface to about 200 degrees, killing any pathogens present.”

As gentle and safe as this may sound, pasteurizing almonds means they are no longer natural or raw.

Anytime you heat a food much above 105 degrees you start destroying the value of the food. The higher the temperature the more damage that is done.

The requirement to pasteurize ALL almonds means that it may be next to impossible to find an almond in the United States that's still in the state nature intended, and no one knows how this process will impact the nutritional value or other properties of the nuts.

This is not rocket science folks. Nearly everyone readily accepts that when you cook vegetables to death they do not provide the same nutritional value as when they are eaten raw. Similarly, I have documented the enormous problems with pasteurized milk. It would seem rational to conclude that one would see similar reduction in the nutritional value of the almonds once they are pasteurized. Fortunately hundreds of thousands of Americans are finally appreciating this truth and making a major shift to raw milk.

Meanwhile, in a letter received on April 30, 2007 from Mr. Richard Waycot, the president and CEO of the Almond Board of California (ABC) himself as a response to an article I had posted on my site, I was told that the ABC will not use any heating or radiation to “pasteurize” their almonds. Instead, he explained, they will use propylene oxide in their almond “pasteurization” process. In the FDA’s “Guide to Inspections of Manufacturers of Miscellaneous Food Products,” this process is referred to as “terminal gas sterilization.”

Also, in April 2007, the FDA proposed relaxing the labeling requirements, and allowing companies to use the more palatable term "pasteurized", to describe irradiated foods ,if the radiation kills germs as well as the pasteurization process does. In essence, this means that almonds may not only be pasteurized, but irradiated. Apparently the term “pasteurized” is an OK substitute for “terminal gas sterilization” as well. If the FDA gets its way, as long as the food looks and smells normal, chances are better than good you won't ever know whether that specific food has been "nuked,” or “terminally gassed,” or not.

In his letter, Mr. Waycott also stated, "Pasteurized raw almonds do not differ in any significant way, taste, quality, or nutritional value from untreated almonds. Pasteurization simply reduces the presence of harmful bacteria on those almonds to safe levels while maintaining taste, quality, and nutritional value."

I don’t think so.

Even a simple search for proplyene oxide in Wikipedia provides the following information: "Propylene oxide is a highly toxic flammable chemical compound. It was once used as a racing fuel, but that usage is now prohibited under the US National Hot Rod rules for safety reasons. It is also used in thermobaric weapons. It is an epoxide."

The bottom line is that if any process kills bacteria, it has the potential to cause problems in humans, OR significantly change the quality of the food. The flimsy reassurances that “pasteurized” almonds -- after being treated with prohibited racing fuel -- would be the same as raw almonds are simply false.

As an aside, although many turn to nuts as a health food, I consistently find that overweight patients who find it difficult to lose weight are eating a lot of almonds or other nuts. It is one of the most common reasons why people cannot lose weight, or lose weight slowly, while following a low- or no-grain diet.

Like most whole foods, nuts can have important health benefits, just use them sparingly if you are overweight, and be sure to choose nuts that are ideal for your nutritional type.

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#1. To: richard9151 (#0)

I'd have to look it up but I think Almonds are California's largest export.


"every time government grows it is at the expense of personal liberty" - Ron Paul

farmfriend  posted on  2007-08-30   21:15:30 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: richard9151 (#0)

Wonderful.

I've been eating almonds and raisens as a morning snack for several years (no weight problem).

Damn these bastards to hell!

Hydrogen Peroxide might do better:

...fresh-cut pieces prepared from inoculated whole melon dipped in water (97 degrees C) or hydrogen peroxide (70 degrees C) for 60 s were negative for Salmonella, as determined by dilution plating onto agar medium, but were positive after enrichment at days 3 and 5 of storage at 5 degrees C. The ability to detect Salmonella in fresh-cut pieces was dependent on the initial level of inoculation. The results of this study indicate that the use of hot water (97 degrees C) or heated hydrogen peroxide to reduce the population of Salmonella on contaminated whole cantaloupes will enhance the microbial safety of the fresh-cut product.

We are fast approaching the stage...where the government is free to do anything it pleases...the stage of rule by brute force.

rack42  posted on  2007-08-30   23:12:04 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: richard9151 (#0)

In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that virtually all almonds would have to be pasteurized as of September 1. This new rule was a result of Salmonella outbreaks in 2001 and 2004 that were traced back to raw almonds.

If they weren't harvested by illegals who wipe their asses with their hands and then touch the produce, we wouldn't have these problems. PRAISE BE BOY GEORGE!

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

"There is no 'legitimate' Corporation by virtue of it's very legal definition and purpose."
-- IndieTx

IndieTX  posted on  2007-08-31   4:31:36 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#4. To: IndieTX (#3)

If they weren't harvested by illegals who wipe their asses with their hands and then touch the produce, we wouldn't have these problems.

Indie, that is one of the least informed, most ignorant statements I have seen in 4um; something I would expect from some others, but not from you!

Think about what you said, and then remember how nuts come packed from nature..... The only thing that hands tough is the shell of the nut, which is then put into a machine where it is washed and then de-shelled.... all without manual labor/touching/abuse.

If the problem was with the workers, they could sterilize the nuts before they are de-shelled cheaply..... and not have to worry about it. However, if the design is to transform the food and change its nutritional value, well, then you change the nature of the food un-naturally. Which is what is being done.

When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest.

richard9151  posted on  2007-08-31   10:38:47 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#5. To: richard9151 (#4) (Edited)

The only thing that hands tough is the shell of the nut

I left off the sarc tag...sorry...LOL. I'm crazy but I'm not stupid..LOL. Just using it as an excuse to bash illegals.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

"There is no 'legitimate' Corporation by virtue of it's very legal definition and purpose."
-- IndieTx

IndieTX  posted on  2007-08-31   11:15:33 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#6. To: IndieTX (#5)

I'm crazy but I'm not stupid..

Well, I should hope so! Crazy I can deal with.... reminds me of myself doncha see.

(I really do miss a lot of sarcasm.... just the way I is.)

When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest.

richard9151  posted on  2007-08-31   15:57:29 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


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