Trader Joes Nuts

[solongng00dnite]

I recently emailed Trader Joes about their raw nuts because I had bought some brazil nuts and they were relatively cheap for raw nuts so I questioned if they were really raw. Here was the response..

Hello Nicole,
Thank you for your interest in our almonds. Trader Joe's California
almonds are steam pasteurized and are heated to 115 degrees. There are
no chemicals involved in this process. The almonds are labeled as raw
because the steam pasteurization of almonds is an industry standard and
all almonds that have been steam pasteurized will be labeled in this
manner not just Trader Joe's. If you are looking for almonds that have
not been pasteurized please look in our stores for a country of origin
labeling, as only California Almonds will be pasteurized. All other nuts
labeled Raw are completely raw.
Thank you for your inquiry and thank you for shopping at Trader Joe's .

Kellye
Trader Joe's
Customer Relations

[apower2me408]

Thanks for sharing. Yeah I didnt think they were completely "raw", but they are certainly better than roasted/salted nuts!
And if its only 115 degrees, shouldnt that still be considered raw?

[mountaintop]

At 115 degrees, they do seem to come in under the radar.

[solongng00dnite]

Yea but she said they were steamed first, doesnt that matter?

[boxerfamily]

I am sure that steam is well over 115. They are not raw if they are pasturized.

[Eva]

Were you asking them about almonds or nuts in general? Just curious because it talks about almonds specifically. When I get almonds from Trader Joe's, I only get the ones from Spain that are organic. Those supposedly have not been pasteurized, but they just don't taste "live."...

[VeggieMel]

I was confused about her telling you to look for the country of origin. Does that mean that almonds from other countries can be sold raw in California? So raw almonds are sold in California? And the only almonds that are sold after pasteurization are almonds grown in California?
Also, would almonds grown in other states that are sold in California be raw?
This brings up lots of questions for me.

[willow]

I would take it as imported almonds have different standards and do not require pasteurization like we do here in the US, therefore they are truly raw.

[VeggieMel]

This is actually good news. I was under the impression that raw almonds could not be sold in California (except directly from farmers in quantities of 100 pounds or less). Apparently, that's not the case. You can get raw almonds which are grown in other countries, but they're pasteurized if grown in California. Good to know!!!

[northernstars]

and they are very good. I believe that they are grown in California, too.I have some that I ordered this week and are on their way.

[apower2me408]

I was at Whole Foods the other day, and they are selling truly raw imported almonds for $12.99/lb. Almonds normally are around $9.99lb.
Prices seem a bit steep! Walnuts are usually 6.99/lb

[walnutty]

I have been meaning to post about information I received from Trader Joe's for the past month, because it is so disturbing. So thank you solongng00dnite for bringing up this topic and getting me to post.

I have known one of the manager's at Trader Joe's for many years. A few weeks ago I noticed that TJ's is still selling "raw almond butter" even though the pasteurization laws have been in effect since September. I had purchased quite a few bottles before September, but was needing more. I took one of the bottles up to this manager and asked if these were "leftovers" from before pasteurization because I did not want to purchase pasteurized "raw almond butter". His answer started a huge conversation about what really goes on behind the scenes, not only with TJ's but many other stores.

He told me that TJ's had been pasteurizing their "raw almond butter" for years! That they had never wanted to take a risk with their customers health so had been pasteurizing long before there was talk of a law.

He also told me that all of the nuts that they sell (raw or otherwise) are all pasteurized and have been for many years. They sell them as raw because they use raw nuts. Anything that is not "roasted" they call raw.

I told him that I had been purchasing the TJ's organic, raw valencia almonds since September because they are imported from Spain. (not cheap at $6.49 for 12 oz.) He told me it did not matter! TJ's pasteurizes all of their nuts.

I was shocked, but what he told me next was truly distubing!

All of the raw produce that they stock, unless it comes from Arizona, which is where I live and shop at TJ's, is irradiated. The raw, organc spinach I purchase by the ton is brought in from Mexico, so it's irradiated?. Yes, he states, it is irradiated.

He next stated that if people really knew what happens to their so called "raw" they would not be able to call themselves raw vegans.

He then pointed out that the only way to know for sure that you are eating raw and organic is to grow it yourself. The U.S. government allows stores to do whatever is necessary to raw produce, nuts, etc. to make the product safe and the stores are still allowed to call it raw.

DISGUSTING!!!

So, the next time I went to Whole Foods Market I asked the produce guy about irradiation and he claims that WFM does not irradiate any of their produce, BUT all citrus is sprayed with fungacide! So the organic citrus that I have been paying outrageous prices for is sprayed with fungacide. LOVELY!!!

Just wanted to share that info with you....

[iluvcacao]

I had a feeling their raw almond butter was too good to be true...it was so cheap compared to any others. Not to bash TJ's, but a note off of that...I quite buying produce there last year because everytime I did it would go bad SO fast. I would buy it at the store looking perfect but within days it would mold I purchased from three different TJ's with the same result!

[Anastazia]

This really angers, upsets & frustrates me!!! I gotta get a garden goin'!!! Thanks for posting this...I think....
~Anastazia~

[Eva]

You should see my eyes right now. They're huge. I'm in shock. This really angers me!!! I actually go out of my way to buy nuts etc. from there because they are so expensive where I am.

This totally makes me want to just move somewhere where I really can grow my own everything! Seriously.