http://www.cornucopia.org/Almond_FactSheet.pdf http://www.cornucopia.org/Almond_SampleLetter.doc
USDA Says "Raw" Almonds, Including Organic, Must Soon be Steam-Heated or Treated with Toxic Chemical
Press Release USDA and Agribusiness Conspire to Mislead Consumers By Mark Kastel The Cornucopia Institute, April 6, 2007 Straight to the Source
Contact: Mark Kastel, 608-625-2042
CORNUCOPIA, WI: Small-scale farmers, retailers, and consumers are outraged over a new federal regulation that will require all almonds grown in California to be sterilized with various "pasteurization" techniques. The rule, which the USDA quietly developed in response to outbreaks of Salmonella in 2001 and 2004, traced to raw almonds, mandates that all almonds undergo a sterilization process that includes chemical and/or high-temperature treatments.
Although the final rule was just published in the Federal Register, The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group, is asking the USDA to reopen the proceeding for public comment. Cornucopia contends that the rule was never effectively announced to the public, and that the reasoning behind both the necessity and safety of the sterilization processes should be questioned before the rule goes into effect this September.
"The new rule is unwarranted and could have many harmful impacts," said Mark Kastel, senior farm policy analyst at Cornucopia. "The costs of the chemical and heat treatments, in addition to the costs of transporting and recording the new procedures, will be especially onerous on small-scale and organic farmers, and could force many out of business."
The only exemption to these new regulations will be organic "raw" almonds that will not be fumigated, but will undergo the steam-heat treatment, and small-scale growers who can sell truly raw almonds but only direct to the public from farm stands.
Although foodborne illnesses have garnered headlines in recent years, including contamination of California-grown spinach and lettuce, raw produce and nuts are not inherently risky foods. Contamination occurs when livestock manure or fecal matter is inadvertently transferred to food through contaminated water, soil, or transportation and handling equipment. Raw foods can also be infected by poor employee sanitation either on the farm or in processing facilities.
Glenn Anderson, a small-scale organic almond farmer in the central valley of California, worries that "This could be one more way for the big companies and the government to put us small farmers out of business."
The equipment to sterilize almonds is very expensive. A propylene oxide chamber costs $500,000 to $1,250,000, and a roasting line can cost as much as $1,500,000 to $2,500,000.
Anderson also questions the scientific logic behind the rule. He and some other growers believe that the sustainable farming methods they use, such as mowing and mulching, rather than controlling weeds by chemical herbicide applications, protect biodiversity and naturally prevent the spread of harmful bacteria more effectively than the artificial process of pasteurization (sterilization)-which attempts to mitigate contamination after the fact. According to growers practicing sustainable farming methods, the USDA plan ignores the root causes of food contamination-the dangerous and unsustainable farming practices on industrial farms.
Consumers who oppose the new regulation also worry about its impact on the quality and nutrition of pasteurized almonds, since the Almond Board of California (a marketing arm of the USDA) has conducted the only study on the practice. Their research concluded that "there was no significant degradation in the quality" of the almonds. "The validity of these findings is questionable given the vested interests of the research panel," Kastel stated.
The most common method of sterilizing almonds is by propylene oxide fumigation. Propylene oxide is a genotoxic chemical and is listed as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency on Cancer Research. In lab experiments, the chemical leads to gene mutation, DNA strand breaks, and neoplastic cell transformation. It is listed as a "possible" carcinogen because no long-term studies have been done with humans. Its use for treating food for human consumption is banned in the European Union, Canada, Mexico, and most other countries.
It is The Cornucopia Institute's contention that even if independent research concludes that treated almonds are in fact safe, labeling them as "raw" is misleading and deceptive to consumers, many of whom wish to purchase truly raw, unprocessed almonds. "Raw foods are increasingly in demand. The new rule is another case of the public being deprived the opportunity to intelligently choose their food supply," said Jimbo Someck, who owns and operates four of the country's leading independent natural food stores, in the San Diego area.
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, the controversial ionization process, to be called pasteurization-a reference that is troubling many food safety watchdogs.
"Consumers deserve to know how their food has been processed," said Food and Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. "Mislabeling irradiated food as 'pasteurized' or treated food as 'raw' is an industry attempt to make consumers buy products that they otherwise might avoid."
In light of heightened public concern, the Cornucopia Institute has appealed to USDA Secretary Mike Johannes to postpone implementation of the new regulatory requirements and reopen the almond docket to public comment. Only 18 public comments-all from the almond industry-were received on the proposal. Unlike consumers, retailers, or other organizations concerned with food safety, all almond handlers received a personal letter or fax from the USDA alerting them to the sterilization proposal and inviting them to comment.
"The industry and the USDA tried to slip this through quietly, under the radar, without adequate public scrutiny," Cornucopia's Kastel lamented. "We are asking the Secretary of a unit of government that Abraham Lincoln referred to as the 'People's Department' to intervene so concerned citizens can have a say. The close collaboration, away from the eyes of the citizens and the media, we are sure, is not something the Secretary will feel good about."
An action alert with instructions for contacting the USDA, and a sample letter interested consumers can send to the USDA and California Almond Board, can be found on the Cornucopia Institute Website. http://www.cornucopia.org/ .
MORE: According to Andrew Kimbrell, the Director of the Center for Food Safety, "The decision to foist fumigants on unsuspecting almond consumers is just another example of an agency out of control." Adds Kimbrell, "USDA is being run lock, stock, and barrel by agribusiness and has abandoned its duty to protect the public and the farming community. This USDA decision, along with FDA's long-standing refusal to label genetically engineered food, and its recent decision to attempt to label irradiated foods as "pasteurized," is a conscious effort by the Administration to leave consumers in the dark about the dangers lurking in their food."
FDA regulations currently require that all single-ingredient foods that have been irradiated and are sold by retailers must be labeled as "treated with irradiation" and must display the radura symbol.
A comprehensive fact sheet on the almond issue can be viewed at http://www.cornucopia.org/Almond_FactSheet.pdf and a sample letter for interested individuals to send to the USDA can be found at http://www.cornucopia.org/Almond_SampleLetter.doc .
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Saturday, March 17, 2007
New Website
Greetings,
I'm finally accomplishing one of my long-term goals for the store of setting up our new website.
This is something I wanted to bring on-line over a year ago; however, now is that time.
Visit Us at! www.herbshopcincy.com
Sent your comments and testimonials.
Thanks, Shelton
I'm finally accomplishing one of my long-term goals for the store of setting up our new website.
This is something I wanted to bring on-line over a year ago; however, now is that time.
Visit Us at! www.herbshopcincy.com
Sent your comments and testimonials.
Thanks, Shelton
New Saturday Hours
Starting in April 2007, we will change our store hours on Saturday's.
- New hours on Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Current hours:
Monday - Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Saturday's
(starting April 2007) 10am - 2pm
Sunday CLOSED
Other Hours by Appointment
Monday, July 18, 2005
Wash Away All Your Health
Wash Away All Your Health
(excrepts from Dr. Flanagan's Health Secrets newletter date July 2005)
email: newsletter@phisciences.com
I suppose you can say that water is my, well, thing. As an advocate for the nutritional benefits of water, as well as the health implications associated from there-lack-of, I feel obligated to highlight the darker side of the substance that is needed as much as the air that we breathe. This saddens me greatly, although I suppose I should just be resigned to the fact by now, but I still fail to fully understand how people continue to pollute, corrupt, and destroy something that is so vital to all of our lives. Still less plausible even, is the knowledge that people still drink this water, then wonder how and why their health has decreased immeasurably and almost unexplainably.
The water that you drink, bathe in, shower in, do laundry in, and otherwise completely function in, has a dark enemy within it that craves a healthy body, such as yours, to corrupt and nestle inside. It may sound dramatic, but if people truly knew what was in their water, they would feel more violated than if they were robbed and then later sued by the assailant after he/she fell and broke their leg. The chemicals in tap water have been a growing concern for many years, and although there are groups and organizations that make it their work and passion to inform the public, their voices seem to fall on naïve and unassuming ears.
Water Way
70-80% of the human body is composed of water. It is the ultimate solvent and mixes with almost everything biological or chemical. Our bodies are mostly water and, like you, I'm careful about what I drink. Yet today there are over 2,100 known toxins that cause cancer in U.S. drinking water. I used to think, "Come on! If harmful chemicals were really in drinking water, the city or state would do something." But then one day I simply bought a home water testing kit and sampled some of my tap water. I was shocked and appalled at what I found. Just type "home water testing kit" into your favorite search engine for your own kit.
In the U.S. alone, there are over 100,000 toxins present within the environment. In U.S. drinking water, there are over 2100 toxic chemicals that are known to cause cancer. Women have a one in three chance of contracting some form or cancer, while men have a one in two chance. Currently, there are 19 major U.S. cities, including San Francisco, San Diego, New Orleans, Atlanta, Detroit, Denver, Phoenix, and others, that have highly polluted drinking water that is not fit for human consumption.
This is a warning you are used to hearing when you travel within exotic locations, but now the threat has made its way into your home. According to the Washington, D.C. based Environmental Working Group (EWG), manufacturers dumped more than one billion pounds of toxic chemicals into rivers, lakes and other bodies of water between 1990 and 1994. EWG also estimates that manufacturers contributed about 450 million additional pounds via sewage. (1)
1000 contaminants are added every year and only 100 are addressed. 1/10 of 1 year's amount of toxins is not sufficient. Just one example is the fish in the UK now reportedly contaminated by Prozac due to so many prescriptions while the sewer systems have no way of breaking down this non-organic chemical. That's just one example.
Pesticides are an entirely other problem. Two billion pounds of pesticides are used every single year. That's eight pounds for every American. These pesticides enter water systems via disposal sites, animal waste, runoff, sewage, etc. After reviewing published (but not publicized) State data and conducting its own tests, EWG found that a single glass of Midwestern tap water has three or more pesticides in it at any given time.
Comments: (Shelton H.)
Water utilities are only required to test for 86 chemicals in which the EPA has set standards for maximum contaminants levels(MCLs). Nobody knows for sure how many toxic chemicals are in drinking water. According to the Ralph Nader Research Group, after reviewing thousands of pages of EPA documents acquired through the Freedom on Information Act, more than 2100 toxic chemicals have alrready been detected in U.S. water supplies. In a recent report from the National Cancer Institute to the Surgeon General it was stated that "No level of exposure to a chemical carcinogen should be considered toxicologically insignificant to humans"; this statement represent a hard truth!
(excrepts from Dr. Flanagan's Health Secrets newletter date July 2005)
email: newsletter@phisciences.com
I suppose you can say that water is my, well, thing. As an advocate for the nutritional benefits of water, as well as the health implications associated from there-lack-of, I feel obligated to highlight the darker side of the substance that is needed as much as the air that we breathe. This saddens me greatly, although I suppose I should just be resigned to the fact by now, but I still fail to fully understand how people continue to pollute, corrupt, and destroy something that is so vital to all of our lives. Still less plausible even, is the knowledge that people still drink this water, then wonder how and why their health has decreased immeasurably and almost unexplainably.
The water that you drink, bathe in, shower in, do laundry in, and otherwise completely function in, has a dark enemy within it that craves a healthy body, such as yours, to corrupt and nestle inside. It may sound dramatic, but if people truly knew what was in their water, they would feel more violated than if they were robbed and then later sued by the assailant after he/she fell and broke their leg. The chemicals in tap water have been a growing concern for many years, and although there are groups and organizations that make it their work and passion to inform the public, their voices seem to fall on naïve and unassuming ears.
Water Way
70-80% of the human body is composed of water. It is the ultimate solvent and mixes with almost everything biological or chemical. Our bodies are mostly water and, like you, I'm careful about what I drink. Yet today there are over 2,100 known toxins that cause cancer in U.S. drinking water. I used to think, "Come on! If harmful chemicals were really in drinking water, the city or state would do something." But then one day I simply bought a home water testing kit and sampled some of my tap water. I was shocked and appalled at what I found. Just type "home water testing kit" into your favorite search engine for your own kit.
In the U.S. alone, there are over 100,000 toxins present within the environment. In U.S. drinking water, there are over 2100 toxic chemicals that are known to cause cancer. Women have a one in three chance of contracting some form or cancer, while men have a one in two chance. Currently, there are 19 major U.S. cities, including San Francisco, San Diego, New Orleans, Atlanta, Detroit, Denver, Phoenix, and others, that have highly polluted drinking water that is not fit for human consumption.
This is a warning you are used to hearing when you travel within exotic locations, but now the threat has made its way into your home. According to the Washington, D.C. based Environmental Working Group (EWG), manufacturers dumped more than one billion pounds of toxic chemicals into rivers, lakes and other bodies of water between 1990 and 1994. EWG also estimates that manufacturers contributed about 450 million additional pounds via sewage. (1)
1000 contaminants are added every year and only 100 are addressed. 1/10 of 1 year's amount of toxins is not sufficient. Just one example is the fish in the UK now reportedly contaminated by Prozac due to so many prescriptions while the sewer systems have no way of breaking down this non-organic chemical. That's just one example.
Pesticides are an entirely other problem. Two billion pounds of pesticides are used every single year. That's eight pounds for every American. These pesticides enter water systems via disposal sites, animal waste, runoff, sewage, etc. After reviewing published (but not publicized) State data and conducting its own tests, EWG found that a single glass of Midwestern tap water has three or more pesticides in it at any given time.
Comments: (Shelton H.)
Water utilities are only required to test for 86 chemicals in which the EPA has set standards for maximum contaminants levels(MCLs). Nobody knows for sure how many toxic chemicals are in drinking water. According to the Ralph Nader Research Group, after reviewing thousands of pages of EPA documents acquired through the Freedom on Information Act, more than 2100 toxic chemicals have alrready been detected in U.S. water supplies. In a recent report from the National Cancer Institute to the Surgeon General it was stated that "No level of exposure to a chemical carcinogen should be considered toxicologically insignificant to humans"; this statement represent a hard truth!
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Research Unveils a Potent Natural Cancer Fighter
Jerry L. McLaughlin, Ph.D., an Emeritus Professor of Pharmacognosy from Perdue University, has extensively studied cancer and related treatments. For 20 years he obtained and screened more than 3,500 species of plants during a study supported by the National Cancer Institute. During this time he came across the North American paw paw tree and began to focus his research on the unique qualities of this plant and the effect it has in stopping the progression of cancer.
Dr. McLaughlin discovered that paw paw contains a group of plant chemicals called annonaceous acetogenins. There are over 50 of these long chain fatty acids in paw paw. Research has established that these acetogenins:
Some of the most encouraging paw paw results are coming from doctors who suggest that patients add paw paw to their current health regimens. One of these doctors is Dr. James Forsythe, an oncologist who practices in Nevada. He is seeing improvements in stage four patients:
“One participant named Anna has stage four breast cancer. Within just six weeks of taking the paw paw she saw a 50 percent reduction in tumor markers as measured by blood tests. Also the size of the tumor was reduced significantly. Since she did not change any other treatment protocol, I was convinced that the paw paw was instrumental in improving the condition of her cancer.”
Please remember to discuss any changes to your cancer program with your physician. While we have seen incredible results in pets and in humans and the research is very impressive, it is very important to work closely with your health care provider in such an extreme situation.
Dr. McLaughlin discovered that paw paw contains a group of plant chemicals called annonaceous acetogenins. There are over 50 of these long chain fatty acids in paw paw. Research has established that these acetogenins:
- Slow and stop the production of cell energy in cells by blocking the production of ATP.
- Prevent the growth of new blood vessels in or near tumors.
- Deplete DNA and RNA building blocks needed for abnormal cell division.
- Kill even those cells that are resistant to chemotherapy drugs.
- Prevent cells from activating ATP-fueled metabolic pumps that may reject chemotherapy drugs.(Allows chemotherapy to work better)
- Is up to 300 times more potent than Taxol, without inducing weight loss.
Note: The acetogenins which are found in the paw paw tree can vary from plant to plant and month to month by a factor of 1000. So, the only way to guarantee that you’re getting an adequate amount is to use the standardized extract, available only through Nature’s Sunshine.
Some of the most encouraging paw paw results are coming from doctors who suggest that patients add paw paw to their current health regimens. One of these doctors is Dr. James Forsythe, an oncologist who practices in Nevada. He is seeing improvements in stage four patients:
“One participant named Anna has stage four breast cancer. Within just six weeks of taking the paw paw she saw a 50 percent reduction in tumor markers as measured by blood tests. Also the size of the tumor was reduced significantly. Since she did not change any other treatment protocol, I was convinced that the paw paw was instrumental in improving the condition of her cancer.”
Please remember to discuss any changes to your cancer program with your physician. While we have seen incredible results in pets and in humans and the research is very impressive, it is very important to work closely with your health care provider in such an extreme situation.
New Lanch of the E-Blog
Greetings,
All Herb Shop customers and friends. Welcome to our first attempt to establish a communications presence on the Web. So bear with us as this will be a work in progress.
All Herb Shop customers and friends. Welcome to our first attempt to establish a communications presence on the Web. So bear with us as this will be a work in progress.
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