Sludge Watch ==> Almond rule making some farmers go nuts

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

There were two huge outbreaks of salmonella in almonds in California.
Wouldn't it be a good idea to stop spreading sewage sludge in almond and 
pistachio orchards?




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Almond rule making some farmers go nuts
27.jun.07

Howell Times and Transcript (Utah)
Garance Burke / Associated Press
http://www.onelocalnews.com/howelltimesandtranscript/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=127012


MADERA, Calif. -- Raw, organic almonds form the basis of Karyn Calabrese‘s 
garlicky nut pate, her vegan pie crusts and vanilla ice cream custards.

Industry representatives say tightening food safety rules to subject almonds 
to heat treatment will help expand the market for California farmers, who 
grow about 80 percent of the world‘s almonds in a flat strip of land 
sandwiched between the Pacific coast and the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Calabrese, whose elegant restaurants feature small plates of raw, vegan 
food, none of which has been heated above 110 degrees, was quoted as saying, 
"The almond is the king of the nut world and a main staple for raw foodists. 
I haven‘t even thought out what I‘ll do because it‘s just such a 
mind-blowing situation."

Following Salmonella outbreaks in 2001 and 2004 that were traced to raw 
almonds, the Almond Board of California rallied for a federal rule requiring 
all almonds in the state to be pasteurized to keep bacteria from infecting 
the nuts while they dry in the orchard or while they‘re processed.
The story notes that Berkeley-based Living Tree Community Foods will soon 
start importing its raw almonds from Spain to make its "living" nut butter. 
Company officials said its customers are concerned about the health effects 
of propylene oxide, a gas listed as a possible carcinogen by the 
International Agency on Cancer Research.