Newsletters: January - February 2008

« Back to Newsletter

Raw Almonds Will Not Be Raw Anymore

Natural Times-January/February 2008

By Melissa Franklin

Effective in March of 2008, raw almonds available in the USA, Mexico and Canada, will no longer be truly raw. Due to a mandate passed by the USDA, FDA and the California Almond Board, all almonds, including organic, must now be pasteurized. This plan was quietly developed in response to unusual and isolated outbreaks of salmonella in 2001 and 2004 that were traced to raw almonds processed at large conventional farms.

Although food-borne illnesses have become more prevalent, no credible scientific evidence exists to show that almonds are an inherently risky food. Contamination occurs when livestock manure or other fecal matter is inadvertently transferred to food through contaminated water, soil or transportation and handling equipment. Poor employee hygiene and sanitation processes can also lead to infected raw foods.

"All fresh foods carry some chance of risk," notes Bruce Lampinen, a scientist at the University of California who studies almonds, "but there is no more risk now than there was thirty years ago." Within the past ten years, tomatoes, spinach, green onions, peanuts, grapes, melons, lettuce and sprouts have all been linked to salmonella outbreaks. Does this mean all fresh produce should be eliminated? "If almonds require pasteurization, what foods will be next on the list of mandatory sterilization, heat treatment and irradiation? Truly raw, untreated nuts, fruits and vegetables might no longer be legally available in the marketplace," states Will Fantle, research director for the Cornucopia Institute. Fantle goes on to say, "The almond pasteurization plan will have many harmful impacts on consumers and the agricultural communityÉ the logic behind both the necessity and safety of the treatment processes has not been adequately analyzedÑas well as the economic cost to small-scale growers and the loss of consumer choices."

Almonds have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease and are a rich source of calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, protein, fiber and antioxidants. These benefits will be significantly reduced if not completely eliminated in the pasteurization process. Three of the suggested methods of pasteurization include the following:

• Propylene Oxide (PPO) fumigation, a genotoxic chemical recognized as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and banned for treating food for human consumption in the European Union, Canada, Mexico and most other countries.
  (Propylene oxide was also used as an insecticidal fumigant until 1988 when its registration was terminated. California prop. 3.550765 rates PPO as a carcinogen). In lab experiments, the chemical leads to gene mutation, DNA strand breaks, and neoplastic cell transformation.
• High heat, which degrades the integrity and enzyme structure of the nuts
• Steam pasteurization, which also devalues the nutrients, enzyme activity and antioxidants.

No research has been done to see what kind of opportunistic bacteria will take over when the almond has been sterilized. It is not a whole natural food anymore. It will now be a processed food with deceptive labeling. Almonds that have been roasted or blanched will be labeled "raw," despite having undergone sterilization/pasteurization treatments. Consumers will be led to believe they are buying almonds that are natural and unprocessed. In addition, there will be no label requirement to specify what kind of pasteurization treatment was used.

Health issues aside, the mandatory sterilization of raw almonds, set forth by the USDA will place an unnecessary financial burden on small-scale and organic farmers. The total equipment necessary for pasteurization is priced anywhere from $2,000,000 to $3,750,000. Regulations allow for farmers to outsource the pasteurization; however, this option still comes with high monetary costs as well as negative environmental impacts.

All of this ignores the fact that the majority of small-scale and organic almond farms utilize sustainable farming methods that encourage biodiversity and prevent the spread of salmonella. On these farms, weeds and grasses naturally protect against pathogens. This is not what happens on conventional farms. Many, if not most, conventional growers utilize herbicides to facilitate the mechanical harvesting process. These chemicals kill weeds and grasses as well as beneficial organisms that naturally keep pathogenic and opportunistic species in check. Although the Almond Board insists that all almond growers use "good agricultural practices" (GAPs), the GAPs do not include guidelines that call for the elimination of pesticides and herbicides or for the promotion of biodiversity. Since organic farms are required to practice GAPs by law, and annually file a related farm management plan and receive annual compliance inspections, they should be exempt from the sterilization/pasteurization process.

The approximately 6,000 almond growers in California produce over one billion pounds of almonds annually, and 70 percent are exported. The added cost of pasteurization will put California almond growers at a distinct economic disadvantage. In the U.S., many food retailers and companies that use raw almonds in their products are already planning to buy raw almonds from Spain, Italy, and other foreign sources once the rule goes into effect, because of the projected cost difference, because they want true raw almonds in their products, and because they want to alleviate consumer concerns. Fantle summarizes the impact saying, "With the costs involved and the implications on trade, they are recklessly experimenting with the livelihood of farmers."

After buying almonds from local producers for over 25 years, Living Tree Community Foods, a California-based natural foods supplier, will soon begin buying almonds from foreign sources. Dr. Jesse Schwartz, the president of the specialty retailer, believes the rule will be a travesty for American agriculture. "California almonds are the heritage of the American people," he says, "they are superior in every way."Premier Organics, a company that produces raw almond butter in Oakland, California, will also be looking to foreign suppliers. Owner Jason Mahon believes the rule is an unnecessary "fear-based decision of the Almond Board that is clearly trying to protect itself from bad press and lawsuits."

The only exemption to the almond treatment regulations will be an allowance for growers to sell truly raw almonds directly to the public from farmstead stands. This will give only a limited number of consumers in specific areas of California, the only state in the nation that produces almonds, access to untreated nuts.