Why do you pasteurize your almonds? How do you achieve pasteurization of your almonds?

Effective September 1, 2007, almonds produced in California and sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico are required to be pasteurized prior to sale. This effectively covers all almonds grown in the U.S., because the entire U.S. almond crop is grown in California.

Under the new law, almonds may be treated using a number of methods, including High-Temperature Short Time (HTST) Steam Pasteurization and chemical pasteurization with propylene oxide (PPO). Use of chemical pasteurization is not allowed under NOP (National Organic Program) rules, so all organic almonds will be steam pasteurized. 

Barney Butter uses steam pasteurization for the almonds used in our natural almond butter.