A look at the Almond Board of California and their decision to require the pasteurization of almonds.
All Almonds from California, destined for the U.S., Canada, and
Mexico, will be Pasteurized starting in 2007.
As it stands now, there will be no label saying "pasteurized". The
pasteurized raw almonds may still say "raw". This not only has implications
for raw foodists (who may become ill injesting almonds, which are not truly
raw), but also religious implications as some people honor ancient teachings
that we should not cook our food. Taking away raw almonds takes away one's ability
to honor those teachings.
Below are my correspondences regarding this issue, as well as
contact information for those wishing to write their own letters. Consider cc'ing
your own congresspersons, as well as your local health food and other stores
where you purchase raw almonds.
The ruling that started this pasteurization conflict:
Almond
Board of California almond pasteurization plan
Article:
Almonds
must be pasteurized, say new USDA rules
By Lorraine Heller
[6/8/07 Note: After the below letter was written, it was realized that California is the ONLY state commercially producing almonds. This means that there will be NO raw almonds produced commercially from the United States.]
Here is my letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger regarding the California
almond issue.
I cc'd a few people too. Hopefully it will help turn around the pasteurization
decision.
April 18, 2007
Jeff Rogers
PO Box 31362
Seattle, WA 98103-1362
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,
I am writing to you regarding the extremely unfair decision made by the Almond
Board of California requiring that all almonds produced in the state of California,
for consumption in North America, be pasteurized. This treads, not only on individuals
right to make food choices, but also on their right to religious freedom.
The Board’s decision apparently stems from two incidents of the “presence
of salmonella” in conventional almonds. There was no mention of such incidents
in organically produced almonds, yet they have been included in this mandatory
pasteurization order.
A growing number of Californian and American citizens are opting for entirely
raw plant-based diets for greatly improved health, as well as for religious
reasons. One of the staples of most raw foodists is raw almonds (especially
organic.) Individuals following a strict raw diet may experience adverse reactions
to cooked foods. Pasteurization is a form of cooking, which alters the almond.
As a result, raw foodists may experience adverse reactions after eating them.
In light of this, all pasteurized almonds should be labeled as such.
According to the Almond Board: “the regulation does not require treated
containers of almonds to be labeled“.
To not disclose the pasteurization process on shipments of almonds would be
deceiving to consumers. If almonds are intentionally labeled “raw”
and have been pasteurized, then that, to me, constitutes fraud and has the potential
to make people ill. Consumers deserve disclosure of all processes that their
foods have been put through, so they can make informed decisions about the foods
they put into their bodies.
Some raw foodists are followers of the Essene teachings. These are teachings
from an ancient strict sect of Judaism from the time of Yashua (Jesus). In the
translations, Yashua reminds us that we should not cook our food. To honor His
teachings, many of His followers consume raw foods (not pasteurized). To require
the pasteurization of all California almonds and not allow us an option for
purchasing raw almonds restricts our freedom to honor and practice our religion.
From the Essene Gospel of Peace: “…prepare not your foods with the
fire of death, which kills your foods, your bodies and your souls also.”
– Yashua (Jesus of Nasereth)
The Almond Board’s decision will cause distrust for the California almond
industry. It will also cause many consumers to purchase almonds from other states;
states which honor our right to purchase raw almonds.
I strongly encourage and respectfully request you to encourage the Almond Board
to reconsider their decision and allow some almonds (especially organic) to
be sold in their raw, un-pasteurized, state and to require those that are not
to be clearly marked as such. This allows the consumer to make an informed decision.
The requirement to pasteurize almonds and hide this fact from the public prevents
consumers from making informed decisions.
According to the Almond Board of California: “This action will help ensure
that quality almonds are available for human consumption.”
Many of us who consume only raw foods recognize that this “action”
will ensure a lack of quality almonds available for us (i.e.: not fit for our
consumption), at least from the state of California. Please help ensure that
we are able to continue enjoying truly raw almonds from California.
Sincerely,
Jeff Rogers
Cc: The Almond Board of California
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Sen. Maria Cantwell
Sen. Patty Murray
Cong. Jim McDermott
Sen. Barbara Boxer
Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Cong. Dennis Kucinich
John Mackey, Whole Foods Market, Inc.
The Raw Network of Washington
An earlier correspondence to the North California Whole
Foods bulk purchaser and his reply:
From: Jeff Rogers
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 2:01 PM
To: Brad Hirsch (NC NCC)
Subject: mandatory almond pasteurization
Brad,
I hope this email will help head off a customer relation nightmare. It,
apparently, has already been decided that most ALL almonds produced in the state
of California are to be pasteurized. This is mandatory. The only exceptions
are those almonds being shipped to countries outside North America and those
almonds being shipped to facilities, which will be doing their own processing
(including pasteurization.) Those almonds that are "raw" and are pasteurized
will still be labeled as "raw". This, to me, is a form of fraud. Pasteurization
is a form of cooking and will certainly alter the almond. Such almonds will
no longer be raw and should never be labeled as such. The cause for alarm was
two cases of salmonella many years ago from conventional farms (not from organic
farms). Many of us (your customers) focus on raw organic plant-based foods,
as we have found dramatic benefits in our health from this form of diet. One
of our staples is raw almonds. Consuming pasteurized almonds has the potential
of making raw foodists ill. As many raw foodists also culture some foods, including
almonds, the alteration of almonds through pasteurization may render them useless
in the natural culturing process. There are also many individuals who follow
the raw food diet due to religious beliefs. The Essene scriptures quote Yashua
(Jesus) as saying we should not cook our food! To take away our ability to find
raw foods interferes with our right to freedom of religion.
I understand your CEO, John Mackey, is a vegetarian and would likely wish
to support us in this cause.
Please help us! You can do this in two ways:
• Make sure that we have a continued supply of raw organic almonds.
Warning labels may be added to "unpasteurized" almonds. We can then
make our own informed decision. There should not be a mandatory pasteurization
of almonds (especially organic).
• Make sure any almonds sold through Whole Foods which are pasteurized
are labeled as such and are not labeled as "raw".
Thank you,
Jeff Rogers
Seattle, WA
Author, Vice Cream
President, SoyStache.com
Cc: Monika Kinsman, Director, Raw Network of Washington
Reply:
From: "Brad Hirsch \(NC NCC\)" <@wholefoods.com>
Date: April 17, 2007 7:05:15 AM PDT
To: "Jeff Rogers" <@soystache.com>
Subject: RE: mandatory almond pasteurization
Jeff-
I apologize for the delinquent response but I have been out of the office for
the past 11 days. We have taken this situation very seriously and are
awaiting a response from our national office. We are definitely opposed
to mandatory pasteurization yet since this appears to have legal ramifications
we must wait for some national direction. I will pursue this once again
today and see where we stand and I will return with what I’ve found out.
brad
Reply from the Chairman of the California Almond Board to
my letter to Gov. Schwarzenegger:
4/23/07
Dear Jeff:
Your information is correct. The almonds involved in the two food safety occurences
were not organic. The fact remains it could occur in organic almonds as well.
The Calif. growers cannot take a chance. If either almonds cause another food
safety event, the press would not distinguish which almonds caused the problem.
Instead all almonds would get the bad press. That is why we decided to treat
all almonds with a 4-log kill. It is my thought that a 4-log kill will not cook
or cause the almonds to be different than raw almonds. We are testing the almonds
now and should have some facts for your group soon. In the mean time I recommend
you buy almonds now and until Sept. They will be unprocessed and you will be
getting what you like.
Regarding your concern that we not process and label as raw, I do not think
any growers or processors intend to do that. Your concern in this subject is
with re-baggers who label the final product you buy from. We do not control
how they label their product.
Hope this makes you more informed with the proposed rule for the 4-log kill
step. Try to keep an open mind until we have time to provide you with more answers
regarding the slight and quick heat process.
Dave Phippen
Almond Grower
Contact Information:
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633
http://gov.ca.gov/
http://gov.ca.gov/site/contact-governor
http://www.govmail.ca.gov/
(Washington Senators)
Sen. Maria Cantwell
511 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3441
Web Form: cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html
Sen. Patty Murray
173 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-2621
Web Form: murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm
(Washington Congressman)
Congressman Jim McDermott
Ph (202) 225-3106
Fx (202) 225-6197
http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/contact.shtml
(California Senators)
Sen. Barbara Boxer
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3553
Sen. Dianne Feinstein
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3841
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Nat'l
http://www.aclu.org/contact/general/index.html
Local (Washington)
https://www.aclu-wa.org/aboutus/contact.cfm
Congressman Dennis Kucinich
2445 Rayburn House Bldg
Washington, DC 20515
John Mackey, CEO
Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703-4677
Whole Foods (Pacific NW Regional Office)
15 Lake Bellevue Drive
Suite 100
Bellevue, WA 98005
425.467.1001
425.467.1441 fax
The Almond Board of California
1150 Ninth Street, Suite 1500
Modesto, CA 95354
http://www.almondboard.com
Board of Directors of the California Almond Board
Chairman David Phippen
13909 Leroy Ave.
Ripon, CA 95366 (209) 599-6111 (209) 599-4008 fax
Vice Chair Doug Youngdahl
Blue Diamond Growers P.O. Box 1768
Sacramento, CA 95812 (916) 446-8595 (916) 329-3320 fax
Member Susan Brauner
Blue Diamond Growers P.O. Box 1768
Sacramento, CA 95812 (916) 446-8354 (916) 325-2880 fax
Member Wil Hunter
Hunter Farms 1621 N. Lincoln
Livingston, CA 95334 (209) 277-5840 (209) 394-8007 fax
Member Christine Long
Hilltop Ranch, Inc. 13890 Looney Rd.
Ballico, CA 95303 (209) 874-1875 (209) 874-1877 fax
Member Mike Mason
Panoche Creek Packing
15810 Arabella Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93312 (661) 746-7877 (661) 746-7875 fax
Member Dean Nelson
Sierra Valley Almonds, LLC
12800 W. Shields Ave.
Kerman, CA 93630
(559) 280-2148 (559) 843-9010 fax
Member Dan Cummings
Cummings-Violich, Inc.
1750 Dayton Road
Chico, CA 95928 (530) 894-5494 (530) 891-4946 fax
Member Rick Kindle
Gold Hills Nut Co., Inc.
11805 Newport Rd.
Ballico, CA 95303 (209) 634-2022 (209) 634-0407 fax
Member Doug Wells
16508 W. River Rd.
Livingston, CA 95334 (209) 394-7246
Agricultural Marketing Service
http://www.ams.usda.gov/
http://www.ams.usda.gov/civilrights/
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the
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Lloyd C. Day Administrator
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Program Office:
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Fax: 202-690-0476
Civil Rights Program
Ruihong Guo
202/ 720-0583
ruihong.guo@usda.gov
Fruit and Vegetable Programs
Robert C. Keeney
202/ 720-4722
Robert.Keeney@usda.gov
Public Affairs Staff
Billy Cox
202/ 720-8998
Billy.Cox@usda.gov
Administrator
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202/ 720-5115
lloyd.day@usda.gov
Associate Administrator
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202/ 720-4276
Kenneth.Clayton@usda.gov
Compliance and Analysis Programs
Ellen King
202/ 720-6766
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Related Site: What Would Jesus Pasteurize? Contains information on the religous and other issues regarding the almond pasteurization ruling. Also has other links.
Raw Food-Related
pages on this site:
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