Almonds in California grown by large agri-businesses are being pasteurized as a defense against questionable farming practices thanks to a new federal law that requires it. Growers are already adopting the new standards under the advice of the Almond Board of California (ABC). Federal mandatory compliance begins September 1. Although the move has the welfare of consumers in mind, the actual practice has drawn fire from the health industry.
In a document prepared by the University of California at Davis, the ABC tells growers, “Minimizing the incidence of food borne illnesses resulting from crop contamination is a concern for all almond growers. Bacteria that cause food borne illnesses such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 can be found in animal and human feces. Potential for contamination of almonds with these organisms increases during harvest when the nuts are dropped to the ground. This brochure highlights procedures that can be applied to reduce the potential for on-farm contamination of almonds.” It describes in detail about the use of recycled water from sewage treatment plants, manure, and other substances used on orchards, and various tests and practices orchardists can use to help minimize contamination, emphasizing the importance of avoiding contact with the nuts.
Blue Diamond, the world’s largest cooperative of almond growers publishes a detailed plan for their growers on how to minimize potential risks. The document discusses such issues as how to control the wind from blowing contaminated feces and urine from stacked manure piles on to almonds.
Both documents carefully avoid use of the word “excrement” to describe the sewage products from people and animals used on today’s farms, orchards, access roads and for dust control.
In the Federal Register, the Argricultural Marketing Service of the USDA has mandated that large scale growers in California “must utilize technologies that have been determined to achieve a minimum 4-log reduction of Salmonella bacteria in almonds,” and that the FDA is only allowing “propylene oxide (PPO), oil roasting, blanching,” and “a moist heat process” as acceptable treatments. A 4-log reduction reduces bacteria count by a factor of 10,000. The ruling is a federal reaction to contamination incidents that occurred in Canada in 2001, in the spring of 2004 and then again in summer 2004, and all three incidents were caused by large scale California almond growers.
California growers are allowed to continue marketing their almonds as “raw” despite the pasteurization process.
The use of highly flammable propylene oxide as a pasteurization agent in almonds has caused a firestorm of posts on the website of Dr. Joseph Mercola, a leading American health advocate. Propylene oxide is a principal ingredient in chemical weapons. Aberco, Inc. has held the EPA Registration since 1984 and is now the sole registrant for the use of propylene oxide for fumigation purposes. The EPA label reads, “to aid in the control of microbiological spoilage and as an insecticidal fumigant for the control of stored product insects, to reduce bacterial and mold contamination in processed spices, cocoa and processed nutmeats (except peanuts).” It is marketed as a safer alternative to methyl bromide, the old standby in chemical reduction of insects and pathogens in stored products. Aberco cite propylene oxide’s conversion to “non-toxic biodegradable propylene glycol” as an answer to environmental concerns about its use in soil.
None of these issues would be at stake if the problem of contamination at the big growers were eliminated at the field. Then pasteurization would not be a necessary part of defensive practices, thus healing the current row with health advocates.
Small scale local growers who sell at roadside stands are exempt from the regulation. For now, buyers who are not within driving distance of a roadside stand will need to look outside California for sources of truly raw almonds.
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