Hello Josh >I agree. what ever happened to "natural food", soo many things these >days are procesed, heat treated or altered from their natural state >in some way or another. We are protected, inhibiting our own imunity >from doing its job. I suspect that pasteurization could escilate the >health problems by feeding humans "dead" food. One part of health is >eating live food. I see this in the same boat as white bread, white >flour, white sugar, white rice, etc. Foods need to be less procesed >and offered in their natural states.
You should read "Pottenger's Cats", especially about pasteurised milk. Also lots of good information at the site I reffed yesterday, http://www.realmilk.com/ . >Almonds also contain health promoting mono and polyunsaturated fats, >that when heated to a hot enough temperature, degrade and turn >rancid. Im sure that there are people out there that are also >concerned about this. There are a lot of people right here who're concerned about it, about the entire ghastly phenomenon. Once again I recommend the list archives. And this too (some list members have said it saved their lives, literally): http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library.html Small Farms Library - Journey to Forever Best wishes Keith > > Kirk McLoren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Forwarding > > > > As of Sept 1, 2007, all almonds are to be pasteurized! > > Please take a moment to contact US Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns > > and ask him to use his influence to reverse this ruling. > > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Phone: 202-720-3631 > > Fax: 202-720-2166 > > > > Contact the Almond Board and let them know your thoughts, too. > > http://www.almondboard.com/utilities/FORMContactUs.cfm > > (209) 549-8262 > > > > This article gives a great overview on the issue. Thanks for taking > > action. > > Time is running out to save raw almonds. > > Even if you don't eat almonds, please speak up anyway. > > If there is a precedent for pasteurizing almonds, we may soon find more > > of our foods mandated for pasteurization. > > > > -S. > > > > ---------------------------- > > The Almond Board of California, which oversees virtually 100 percent of > > the almonds grown and consumed in the United States and Canada, is now > > implementing plans to pasteurize all almonds at temperatures up to 158 > > degrees (F) and yet have them intentionally and falsely labeled as > > "raw." The decision was made following the 2001 and 2004 outbreaks of > > salmonella in almonds, and is based on the intention of the Almond Board > > of California to provide a "safe, nutritious product to consumers" but > > not, it seems, an accurately labeled food product to consumers. > > > > Although it seems unthinkable to anyone familiar with the fundamentals > > of nutrition, the Almond Board fails to recognize any distinction > > between raw almonds and cooked almonds. In statements received by > > NewsTarget, the Almond Board explained that, "raw almonds that have been > > pasteurized do not differ in any significant way from untreated raw > > almonds." > > > > Except, of course, for the fact that they are dead. Stating that live, > > raw almonds are the same as dead, cooked almonds is equivalent to > > stating that a living human being is the same as a corpse. > > > > Raw foods are widely understood by virtually the entire food community > > to mean food items kept below 108 degrees (F), beyond which the living > > enzymes in foods are destroyed. Pasteurization, in contrast, exposes > > foods to temperatures of up to 158 degrees for durations up to 30 > > minutes. (Faster "flash" pasteurization can involve much higher > > temperatures for shorter durations: 280 degrees (F) for two seconds, for > > example.) NewsTarget does not know the precise temperature that will be > > used for pasteurizing almonds, but it will without question be a > > temperature higher than 108 degrees (F), which means the almonds can no > > longer be considered raw by any reasonable person familiar with the > > definition of raw. > > > > Outcry from the raw foods community > > > > The raw foods community, not surprisingly, is alarmed at the new rules, > > which openly condone the false labeling of a food product. Dr. Gabriel > > Cousens, author of several top-selling books on raw foods and founder of > > the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona ( www.TreeofLife.nu ), > > told NewsTarget, "This mandatory almond pasteurization is an effort by > > the powers that be to limit access to healthy food. It is a serious > > attack on people's ability to eat what they want and support their > > health. In this important way, it deprives us of our basic rights of > > life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is a serious incursion > > of rights for a trivial and preventable reason, this being that the > > [past] contamination of the almonds was from a single source." > > > > The issue at hand here is not merely that all California almonds will > > now be sterilized, but that cooked almonds will be deliberately and > > falsely labeled as raw. It's like opening a carton of fresh eggs and > > finding out they've already been hard-boiled. This is a clear case of > > deceptive labeling that should, by any common sense definition, be > > illegal. Yet the FDA seems perfectly happy with this deception and will > > apparently allow consumers to be blatantly misled about the food > > products they are purchasing. > > > > Raw doesn't mean raw > > > > The Almond Board of California (ABC) is aware of the outcry concerning > > the new pasteurization rule, but believes that the outcry is without > > merit. "The almond board understands there is an outcry, but we maintain > > that the quality of the almond is substantially the same as it is raw," > > said Marcha Venable of the ABC. > > > > With this decision, the Almond Board of California seems surprisingly > > out of touch with the California lifestyle, which is significantly based > > on fresh, raw food products like limes, avocados and almonds. The living > > foods / raw foods movement in the United States is largely a product of > > the natural California lifestyle, and yet the Almond Board seems to have > > no hesitation in intentionally mislabeling its cooked almond products as > > raw, misleading consumers into thinking they're buying live almonds when > > they aren't. > > > > This isn't something that's being covertly pursued, either. The Almond > > Board is blatantly and openly stating that cooked almonds will be > > labeled as "raw." > > If all these almond deceptions seem a bit hard to swallow, check the > > definition of "raw" in the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, which > > states that "raw" means: > > > > 1. uncooked, as articles of food: a raw carrot. > > > > 2. not having undergone processes of preparing, dressing, finishing, > > refining, or manufacture: raw cotton. > > > > > > In direct contradiction to this clear definition, the Almond Board of > > California is now insisting that cooked = raw. > > > > Think about that for a minute. Cooked is raw. > > > > War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is power. (1984 by George > > Orwell) > > > > And now, in the California almond industry, cooked is raw. > > > > Apparently, the perception of what's in the bag is far more important > > than what's really in the bag. Ignorance is power, after all. > > > > How the almonds will be cooked > > > > Pasteurization is a heat process that kills microorganisms by exposing > > them to high temperatures. Unfortunately, the process also kills the > > enzymes and living qualities of the food in question. Raw nuts and seeds > > can be planted and will actually sprout, indicating they are alive and > > vibrant, but cooked nuts and seeds will not sprout, indicating they are > > dead and have no remaining life force. > > > > Pasteurization is effective at eliminating microorganisms precisely > > because it kills things. But heat is not a selective killer. It kills > > the almond just as easily as it kills the microorganisms. Thus, any > > sterilized almond package will contain dead almonds. > > > > There are other technologies that can kill microorganisms without > > requiring pasteurization. Ozone treatment, for example, is extremely > > effective at reducing microorganisms and yet requires no high > > temperatures. Ozone-treated almonds could still be truly raw, but the > > Almond Board is not actively pursuing large-scale ozone treatments, > > perhaps due to the cost (pasteurization is cheap and easy, where ozone > > treatments require investments in expensive equipment). > > > > It's not just the almonds that are going to be cooked under the new > > plans, however. The reputation of the Almond Board of California is also > > being sterilized. Who can trust an organization that openly and > > blatantly announces its intention to mislabel cooked almonds as raw > > almonds? If the almonds were honestly labeled as "pasteurized" or > > "sterilized," then that would be at least be a defensible position. But > > to intentionally and deliberately propose that a food product be > > deceptively labeled is inexcusable in any industry, including the almond > > industry. > > > > Not enough public comments > > > > The Almond Board of California says the new pasteurization rule is no > > secret, and it was published in a federal registry that welcomed > > comments from the public. The commentary period ended in January. "They > > did not receive enough comments to warrant a review," Marcha Venable > > told NewsTarget, "So it's really the overwhelming cry of consumers > > across the nation for healthy food products." > > > > NewsTarget finds that quote perplexing. A lack of response is not > > equivalent to, "an overwhelming cry." Silence is not a mandate. Perhaps > > the people were simply too astonished to speak. > > > > With this new false labeling rule, the almond industry joins the dairy > > industry in the "kill your food" philosophical camp. Dairy products are > > pasteurized for the same reason (to kill microorganisms and extend shelf > > life), yet raw dairy products have been found to exhibit tremendous > > health and nutritional advantages over cooked, processed dairy products. > > > > > > By cooking its almonds, the Almond Board of California will be > > unwittingly killing its product and delivering an inferior almond to > > consumers. Raw foods enthusiasts wishing to make their own raw almond > > milk will now be without easy options. Ultimately, it seems that the > > Almond Board of California is not merely killing the almonds; it's also > > killing its reputation. The harm to the almond industry from increasing > > awareness about the false labeling could reach into the tens of millions > > of dollars in a single year. > > > > No exceptions > > > > Contrary to popular belief, there are no practical exceptions to the > > pasteurization rule, at least not for consumers. Certain organizations > > can be granted "Direct Verifiable" exceptions (DV), but only if they > > later pasteurize the almonds as part of a manufactured food product such > > as a granola bar. Thus, all almonds grown in California will, by law, > > have to be killed. > > > > NewsTarget is currently attempting to find a source of truly raw almonds > > that we can recommend to consumers. Any organic almond growers who wish > > to be part of our recommended list of honest, raw almond sources are > > free to contact us through our feedback page. Once we are able to locate > > reputable sources of raw almonds, we will make that list available to > > NewsTarget readers. > > > > The double standard > > > > Interestingly, meat products are not required to be cooked before being > > sold, despite the numerous outbreaks of e.coli in meat that are > > announced each year. Why aren't hamburgers outlawed or raw meat products > > banned? > > > > It is also interesting that there is absolutely no effort by state or > > federal regulators to remove the additives and ingredients in foods that > > kill consumers through cancer, heart disease, diabetes and liver > > disorders. Sodium nitrite, for example, remains perfectly legal to add > > to processed meat products, even though it substantially increases the > > risk of pancreatic cancer, colon cancer and even breast cancer. > > Hydrogenated oils, aspartame, petroleum-derived food coloring chemicals > > and cancer-causing preservative chemicals all remain legal as well. > > > > Clearly, the goal of so-called "food safety" initiatives have nothing to > > do with actually protecting consumers, but a whole lot to do with > > meeting the interests of agricultural companies and junk food > > manufacturers. The primary concern of food safety officials appears to > > be extending shelf life, not protecting consumer health, which is why > > most of the food safety rules in effect today -- and even new ones like > > this almond pasteurization rule -- primarily have the effect of > > extending food shelf life. > > > > With this recent decision, the Almond Board of California has > > unwittingly joined the conglomeration of uncaring, ignorant agricultural > > corporate interests who have no real concern for consumers, although > > they disguise their actions as such. Before long, it seems, all the food > > sold in the United States will be genetically modified, irradiated, > > pasteurized, homogenized, hydrolyzed and packaged for a two-year shelf > > life. And it will all be labeled as "All natural!" > > > > It's no wonder, then that the United States population demonstrates the > > lowest levels of mental and physical health of any advanced nation. We > > are the walking dead, largely because we eat predominantly dead foods. > > > > Ignorance beyond belief > > > > The Almond Board of California is now joining the "dead food society" > > and contributing to this problem, apparently out of astonishing > > ignorance of the difference between live foods vs. dead foods. Perhaps > > someone should explain to the almond board what seeds are, and > > demonstrate the planting of a seed and its miraculous creation of a > > young plant. > > > > It seems beyond belief that the organization overseeing tens of millions > > of dollars in almond production each year would have no apparent > > familiarity with the living foods benefits of their own products. It > > would be like an airplane manufacturer having no familiarity with the > > physics of flight, or a search engine company that had no idea what the > > internet was. Perhaps the Almond Board members have pasteurized their > > own heads and now have no working brain matter remaining to put to a > > sensible use. > > > > It almost seems silly to have to say this, but there is a difference > > between life and death. The character of an almond is no more defined by > > its material matter than the character of a person is defined by the > > mineral ash of their cremated body. What's contained in a raw nut, seed, > > root or plant goes beyond mere chemistry, beyond the minerals, vitamins, > > oils and fiber. A raw nut exhibits a living energy that is qualitatively > > unique and cannot be replaced by a dead nut. This is obvious to > > virtually everyone familiar with the fundamentals of nutrition, but it > > has apparently escaped the notice of the ABC, whose only business is > > almonds! > > > > The new false labeling rule goes into effect in the Fall of 2007. > > Until then, enjoy your raw, healthy almonds, because unless you have > > your own almond tree, they may soon be a thing of the past. > > > > Action item > > > > If you're a consumer of almonds anywhere in North America, your supply > > of raw almonds is now at risk. > > Contact the Almond Board of California and let them know what you think: > > > > > > http://www.almondboard.com/utilities/FORMContactUs.cfm > > > > Their phone number is (209) 549-8262 > > > > ### > > > > Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate with a mission to teach > > personal and planetary health to the public He has authored and > > published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guies, and books > > on topics like health and the environment, reaching millions of readers > > with information that is saving lives and improving personal health > > around the world. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics > > who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In > > 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a maker of super bright LED light bulbs > > that are 1000% more energy efficient than incandescent lights. He's also > > a successful software entrepreneur, having founded a well known email > > marketing software company whose technology currently powers the > > NewsTarget email newsletters. Adams also serves as the executive > > director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer > > protection group, and practices nature photography, Capoeira, Pilates > > and organic gardening. > > Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and > > mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
