For three years, a group of almond growers have been fighting to keep their products unadulterated! Did you know the almond growers in the USA are currently required to sterilize their almonds either through steaming, irradiation, roasting, or treating them with propylene oxide, a known carcinogen that’s been banned in the EU. Treated almonds can still be called “raw,” meaning health-conscious consumers who want unadulterated food are more or less being duped.
Good News: An exemption was made for small-scale growers.
Bad News: They were forbidden from saying their almonds hadn’t been treated.
Finally, these growers have won the right to take their challenge to federal court. They’ll be able to argue why the regulation should be thrown out, and it could mean big things for theĀ health of raw almonds if it is.
Stay tuned for the latest in the raw nut world!