Are you eating GASSED almonds?
If you don’t buy 100% organic, you are. This is another reason why I always recommend buying organic, rather than supporting companies who are adulterating our food supply. Almond growers in the United States are required to “sterilize” all almonds, so if you purchase any brand that is not organic, the sterilization occurs by “gassing” the almonds unless the package specifically indicates heat treatment. This goes for boxed almond milk as well.
The most common method of treating almonds is propylene oxide fumigation. PPO is an extremely volatile liquid used in the production of polyurethane plastics, and was once used as a racing fuel. Not anymore though, because it was banned by the National Hot Rod and American Motorcycle Racing Associations for being too dangerous and toxic. Now, conveniently used to “gas” almonds, which is supposed to “protect” us from bacteria. However, the material safety data sheet for PPO warns:
“Causes gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. May cause central nervous system depression, characterized by excitement, followed by headache, dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea. Advanced stages may cause collapse, unconsciousness, coma and possible death due to respiratory failure. Aspiration of material into the lungs may cause chemical pneumonitis, which may be fatal….May cause reproductive and fetal effects. Laboratory experiments have resulted in mutagenic effects. May cause HERITABLE GENETIC DAMAGE.”
The EPA to classifies it as a class B2 carcinogen, and California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Massachusetts list it on their state’s right-to-know registries as a known carcinogen.
If almonds are labeled organic and “raw” they will not be fumigated with propylene oxide. But they will undergo the heating pasteurization process, so that they are no longer truly raw. The heat oxidizes the omega 3 fatty acids in almonds, turning them rancid and producing free radicals, which are believed to play a role in the development of cancer and other degenerative diseases.
Almonds that contain residues of up to 300 parts per million of this chemical, which California regards as a “known carcinogen,” can be legally sold. Since there is no labeling law regarding the use of PPO, and it is significantly cheaper to pasteurize with PPO than with steam, you need to know your sources and call the companies you buy from if you don’t get 100% organic.
My advice? At a minimum, as always go organic! I purchase my almonds in bulk online, so that I can get truly raw and organic almonds from either Spain or Italy.
