Frankenfood ALERT ! ! ! - Ignore this at your peril

April 19, 2007

Dear Kiki,

You rock girl.

From now on, I'm going to post ALL letters sent into the The Almond Board of California where copies are sent to me. I think we ought to have a contest as to who can get the most creative. :-)

Much love,

Doc

Doc Shillington727-447-5282Doc

-

Dr. Ian Shillington

Thursday, April 19, 2007 2:00 PM

Re: Frankenfood ALERT ! ! ! - Ignore this at your peril

Wow, I love almonds and can't believe they're gonna mess this up too. I went to the site and gave them a piece of my mind. Here's the piece that I gave them: It's ludicrous that this board has 1) approved the pasteurization of Almonds and 2) decided to falsely label products as "raw". The deception is beyond immoral and unethical. I don't think that you can even find human words to describe this. You'll have to consult the devil to see if they have any words in Hell for this type of action and rationalization. Humans haven't needed this pasteurization process for Almonds, for oh, at least the last 2000-3000 years. If you find anything in the Egyptian heiroglyphs that say that some pharoah used to pasteurize Almonds before then, then please feel free to pick up the phone and call me. I'll write it on my panties, hang it up on the flag-pole at the court-house and dance around singing "Who'da thunk it?"Sincerely,Kiki kranX===I REALLY hope lots of people write -- It took all of 10 minutes because I'm so long-winded.PLUR =^..^=Kiki kranXherbal remedies , "Dr. Ian Shillington" <DocShillington wrote:>> Ohhhhhhh. This is insulting.> We need to pummel this one folks.> Thank you for sending this Zoe. We now need to turn up the heat.> From this point on, I'll also be sending cc's (carbon copies) to the CA Reps and Senators on both a State and Federal Level. This will destroy the Almond Industry, and I smell the evil hand of Monsanto's Soy Monopoly behind all of this. > We've got until September to kill this.> Much love,> Doc> > Doc Shillington> 727-447-5282> Doc -> Dr. Ian Shillington (Academy Of Natural Healing) > Tuesday, April 17, 2007 8:56 PM> Re: Herbal Remedies - Frankenfood ALERT ! ! ! - Ignore this at your peril> > > I wrote my protest and this was the response. They obviously have no intention to listening to our complaints or addressing the live vs dead issue.> > zoe> > > > > > > > Dear Ms. Whitefeather, > > We appreciate your comments and suggestions about the pasteurization of raw almonds. > > The almond industry strives to provide consumers with a product that they can enjoy, that is safe, and that can benefit health. With consumers' health and safety as its number one priority, the Almond Board of California worked with the United States Department of Agriculture to institute the pasteurization program. The purpose of this program is to ensure consumers are provided with safe, wholesome food products free from potentially harmful levels of unsafe bacteria. > > You can be assured that pasteurized almonds are as nutritious and delicious as unpasteurized almonds. The almond industry invested in independent nutritional lab analyses of pasteurized versus unpasteurized almonds. Those tests did not reveal any degradation of the taste, quality or nutritional value of treated almonds. Pasteurized almonds are still nutrient dense, a good source of protein and fiber, an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, and still help maintain a healthy cholesterol level. > > We understand there have been questions whether the industry pasteurization program has consumer labeling implications. These new industry regulations do not pertain to consumer labeling. Manufacturers and retailers will continue to determine how to label their products in line with FDA regulations. > > We hope you will continue to enjoy almonds knowing that they are the same wholesome food that you have enjoyed for so long. > > Sincerely, > > The Almond Board of California > > > > > Tuesday, April 17, 2007, 9:55:01 AM, you wrote:> > >> Food Scam: Almond Board of California to falsely label pasteurized almonds as "raw"> > Thursday, April 05, 2007 by: Mike Adams> > Printable version Key concepts: almonds, raw almonds and almond growers. > > > 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> > > > Doc Shillington> > 727-447-5282> > Doc

April 21, 2007

Thanks Kiki, and I agree. It only takes a few seconds to respond.

I dunno. Whaddya think???

Perhaps I should give away a FREE Cannister of Total Nutrition to the best one???

Do you think we can get enough players in this game???????

Love,

Doc

Doc Shillington727-447-5282Doc

-

Dr. Ian Shillington

Friday, April 20, 2007 11:30 AM

Re: Frankenfood ALERT ! ! ! - Ignore this at your peril

Thanx Doc!Can't have anyone messin' up my almonds now -- and I'm really glad I have 2 healthy pecan trees in my front yard with bugs and birds and a cat or 2 in them. The pecans are DEEEEE-lish. Contest sounds great! Whatcha givin' away??C'mon people!! Contest or not -- just use the link: http://www.almondboard.com/utilities/FORMContactUs.cfm ... and tell 'em what you think about the denaturing of nature and deception to the masses. It's probably the easiest thing you'll do all day cuz the form is SHORT.PLUR <peace love unity respect>Kiki kranXherbal remedies , "Dr. Ian Shillington" <DocShillington wrote:>> Dear Kiki,> > You rock girl.> > From now on, I'm going to post ALL letters sent into the The Almond Board of California where copies are sent to me. I think we ought to have a contest as to who can get the most creative. :-)> > Much love,> > Doc> > Doc Shillington> 727-447-5282> Doc - > Dr. Ian Shillington > Thursday, April 19, 2007 2:00 PM> Re: Frankenfood ALERT ! ! ! - Ignore this at your peril> > > Wow, I love almonds and can't believe they're gonna mess this up > too. I went to the site and gave them a piece of my mind. Here's the > piece that I gave them:> > It's ludicrous that this board has 1) approved the pasteurization > of Almonds and 2) decided to falsely label products as "raw". The > deception is beyond immoral and unethical. I don't think that you > can even find human words to describe this. You'll have to consult > the devil to see if they have any words in Hell for this type of > action and rationalization. > > Humans haven't needed this pasteurization process for Almonds, for > oh, at least the last 2000-3000 years. If you find anything in the > Egyptian heiroglyphs that say that some pharoah used to pasteurize > Almonds before then, then please feel free to pick up the phone and > call me. > > I'll write it on my panties, hang it up on the flag-pole at the > court-house and dance around singing "Who'da thunk it?"> > Sincerely,> Kiki kranX> > ===> I REALLY hope lots of people write -- It took all of 10 minutes > because I'm so long-winded.> > PLUR =^..^=> Kiki kranX> > herbal remedies , "Dr. Ian Shillington" > <DocShillington@> wrote:> >> > Ohhhhhhh. This is insulting.> > We need to pummel this one folks.> > Thank you for sending this Zoe. We now need to turn up the heat.> > From this point on, I'll also be sending cc's (carbon copies) to > the CA Reps and Senators on both a State and Federal Level. This > will destroy the Almond Industry, and I smell the evil hand of > Monsanto's Soy Monopoly behind all of this. > > We've got until September to kill this.> > Much love,> > Doc> > > > Doc Shillington> > 727-447-5282> > Doc@> > -> > Dr. Ian Shillington (Academy Of Natural Healing) > > Tuesday, April 17, 2007 8:56 PM> > Re: Herbal Remedies - Frankenfood ALERT ! ! ! - Ignore > this at your peril> > > > > > I wrote my protest and this was the response. They obviously > have no intention to listening to our complaints or addressing the > live vs dead issue.> > > > zoe> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Ms. Whitefeather, > > > > We appreciate your comments and suggestions about the > pasteurization of raw almonds. > > > > The almond industry strives to provide consumers with a product > that they can enjoy, that is safe, and that can benefit health. With > consumers' health and safety as its number one priority, the Almond > Board of California worked with the United States Department of > Agriculture to institute the pasteurization program. The purpose of > this program is to ensure consumers are provided with safe, > wholesome food products free from potentially harmful levels of > unsafe bacteria. > > > > You can be assured that pasteurized almonds are as nutritious > and delicious as unpasteurized almonds. The almond industry invested > in independent nutritional lab analyses of pasteurized versus > unpasteurized almonds. Those tests did not reveal any degradation of > the taste, quality or nutritional value of treated almonds. > Pasteurized almonds are still nutrient dense, a good source of > protein and fiber, an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, > and still help maintain a healthy cholesterol level. > > > > We understand there have been questions whether the industry > pasteurization program has consumer labeling implications. These new > industry regulations do not pertain to consumer labeling. > Manufacturers and retailers will continue to determine how to label > their products in line with FDA regulations. > > > > We hope you will continue to enjoy almonds knowing that they are > the same wholesome food that you have enjoyed for so long. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > The Almond Board of California > > > > > > > > > > Tuesday, April 17, 2007, 9:55:01 AM, you wrote:> > > > >> > Food Scam: Almond Board of California to falsely label > pasteurized almonds as "raw"> > > > Thursday, April 05, 2007 by: Mike Adams> > > > Printable version Key concepts: almonds, > raw almonds and almond growers. > > > > > > 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> > > > > > > > Doc Shillington> > > > 727-447-5282> > > > Doc@> >>

April 24, 2007

Mountainlady

herbal remedies-owner

Saturday, April 21, 2007 4:09 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - Frankenfood ALERT ! ! ! - Ignore this at your peril

Does anyone know of a place for sale with almond trees (outside of California)? I'm serious.

~mountainlady

April 26, 2007

Thanks Debra.

Much appreciated.

Love,

Doc

Doc Shillington727-447-5282Doc

- herbal remedies-owner

Thursday, April 26, 2007 3:03 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - Frankenfood ALERT ! ! ! - Ignore this at your peril

Dear Doc,

I went on line looking for some raw almonds in smaller quantity and I found this company. If you read their letter you'll see that they suggest writing to Peggy Miars, Exec. Dir of Calif. Cert. Organic Farmers (CCOF) and her link is listed.

I wrote in to the Calif. Almond Board and the CCOF.

Hope you find this helpful.

Debra

Tell a Friend

In this issue:*Raw Almonds are About to Become Extinct. Don’t let it happen!

Dear brothers and sisters,

On Friday, March 30th, the California Almond Board passed a mandatory almond pasteurization order. It requires that all almonds be pasteurized beginning September 1, 2007. This is an affront to the live food movement and an insult to organic farming.It is all the more poignant that this is coming when an abundant new crop of California almonds is expected to be harvested in September. This, after several years of crop failures and a sharp increase in price. Instead of rejoicing with the new crop of almonds, what does Big Almond propose to do? It plans to fumigate them! The order requires that all almonds be treated either with steam or propylene oxide, a toxic chemical. Almonds treated in this delightful way are permitted to be labeled as “raw”.To be understood properly, this must be seen in the perspective of a deep trend in the food industry:- 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. (Mike Adams, The Big Almond Atrocity, NewsTarget.com)

The most remarkable thing is that there is no distinction between conventional grown and organic almonds. Both are subject to the same pasteurization order. This, despite the fact that the standards of sanitation and cleanliness are higher with organic. Not only is organic thrown into the same boat, but the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), the largest body of organic almond growers was not invited to participate in the hearings on before the mandate became law. Two weeks ago when we heard of it, we phoned Peggy Miars, the Executive Director of the CCOF. It was obvious that she had no prior knowledge. This despite the fact that, by far and away, organic almonds bring in more sales revenue than any other organic fruit or vegetable in California. Seventy-six members of CCOF are either almond growers or handlers.

The enlightened and progressive CCOF has the political clout and know how to contest this. They are the oldest and most reputable organic certification association. We suggest that you write to Peggy Miars, Executive Director at peggy and request that she mobilize in protest. At very least, they should ask for a separate marketing order for organic almonds. Should CCOF fail to act, they will be crushed. The same powerful forces that pushed for the fumigation of almonds are constantly seeking to chip away and erode organic standards. Moreover, just around the bend are yet more sinister threats, e.g. food irradiation.The new regulation to sterilize almonds coincides with the recent announcement by the Food and Drug Administration that it intends to relax its labeling requirements for irradiated food. The FDA proposal will also allow irradiation... to be called pasteurization... (Press Release,The Cornucopia Institute, 4/6/07) Then there is the FDA’s long-standing refusal to require that genetically engineered food be labeled.

There you have it:- fumigated almonds are to be labeled “raw”, irradiated food is to be labeled “pasteurized” and that tomato with pig genes is not labeled at all.

Please address Ms. Miars graciously and respectfully. Remember the CCOF folks are, for the most part, family farmers. Speak from your heart, and you’ll know what to say. She requests that people not phone her. Please forward a copy to us. We’ll collate your letters and publish them on our site. For letters you’ve already written please click on Your Letters.Jesse Schwartz, Ph.D.PresidentLiving Tree Community Foodsjesse