Carcinogens in California Almonds - Mandatory pasteurization in California

[loco]

The USDA approved a proposal by the Almond Board of California to pasteurize almonds sold to the public, after tracing cases of salmonellosis to almonds. The almond pasteurization program became mandatory for California companies in 2007. Raw, untreated California almonds have not been available in the U.S. since then.

California almonds labeled "raw" must be steam-pasteurized or chemically treated with propylene oxide. This does not apply to imported almonds or almonds sold from the grower directly to the consumer in small quantities. The treatment also isn't required for raw almonds sold for export outside of North America.

The Almond Board of California claims “PPO residue dissipates after treatment”; however, the EPA reports “Propylene oxide has been detected in fumigated food products; consumption of contaminated food is another possible route of exposure.” PPO is classified by the EPA as a “Group B2, probable human carcinogen.”

The USDA-approved marketing order was challenged in court by organic farmers organized by the Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group. According to the Cornucopia Institute, this almond marketing order has imposed significant financial burdens on small-scale and organic growers and damaged domestic almond markets. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in the spring of 2009 on procedural grounds. In August 2009 farmers were appealing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond#Mandatory_pasteurization_in_California

http://www.almonds.com/processors/processing-safe-product#pasteurization

http://www.insidebayarea.com/business/ci_6260038

http://www.cornucopia.org/almonds/

[Erik C]

Another problem with almonds is cyanide. When they dry out, the natural collodial cyanide in almonds, drys out too, and becomes toxic. Between 6 and 12 people per year are poisoned, and die, from eating almonds.

[El Diablo Blanco]

of course.  I've driven past the almond fields on the side of the freeway.  Miles and miles of almond trees and thousands and thousands of cars that pass each day all giving off exhaust fumes that I presume the almonds absorb.