Article: Pasteurized almond rule has raw food fans going nuts

[Guest guest]

Pasteurized almond rule has raw food fans going nuts

 

By Garance Burke

06/26/07

 

Raw, organic almonds form the basis of Karyn Calabrese's garlicky nut

pate, her vegan pie crusts and vanilla ice cream custards.

 

But under a new federal rule requiring that all almonds be

pasteurized to prevent foodborne illness, the Chicago restaurateur

will have to substitute a new nut, or go to vast lengths to import

her raw almonds from across the globe.

 

Industry representatives say tightening food safety rules to subject

almonds to flash 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.

 

The regulation, set to take effect Sept. 1, has angered everyone from

organic farmers to followers of the restrictive raw foods diet.

 

Full story:

http://www.fresnobee.com/384/story/70225.html

 

[also here: http://www.examiner.com/

a-800629~Pasteurized_almond_rule_has_raw_food_fans_going_nuts.html]