Almond pasteurization is now mandatory for shipments to the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The California Almond pasteurization program, developed through research by the Almond Board, is mandated through revised outgoing quality control requirements of the federal marketing order that governs the Almond Board of California and went into effect on Sept. 1, 2007.

 

Almond pasteurization is a risk-reduction step, however, and should not be viewed by growers as a process that relieves them of the responsibility to eliminate microbial risks in the orchard to the extent possible. Field sanitation laws and guidelines, along with Good Agricultural Practices for Almond Growers, guide California Almond growers in producing a healthful harvest.

 

External Links:

 

Pasteurization of California Almonds Rule from the Federal Register

 

(Section 3457, Title 8, California Code of Regulations) These “safety orders” require employers of field workers to provide potable drinking water, toilets and handwashing facilities to hand-laborers in the field.

 

Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

These guidelines, issued in 1998 by the FDA, are the basis for the Almond Board’s Good Agricultural Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices.