Marin Foods Organic Almonds Recall ETM 627 MATTHEW CALLIER 11/30/14 1

Product Recall What ◦Marin Food Specialties issued a voluntary recall for their organic raw bitter almonds. The almonds were imported from Spain and sold in 13.5oz plastic tubs at Whole Foods Market Stores [4]. Recall Date ◦November 7, 2014 Why ◦The almonds contain especially high concentrations of the naturally occurring chemical glycoside amygdalin, which produces hydrogen cyanide when the almonds are crushed or chewed [3]. Incidence ◦To date there have not been any reported health incidence from the poisonous almonds. Number of Units Sold ◦The almonds were sold in 50 Whole Foods Market Stores in California, Oregon, Washington State, Nevada, and Idaho [4]. When Sold ◦The dangerous almonds have sell by dates from 4/18/15 until 6/7/15 [4]. ETM 627 MATTHEW CALLIER 11/30/14 2

Management Issues Recognition ◦The same chemical that makes bitter almonds poisonous is also found in the kernels of peaches, apricots, and prunes. Because of this chemical, the sale of bitter almond trees is illegal in the United States [3]. And, “raw” almonds aren’t really raw because there is a law requiring all almonds to be pasteurized to prevent salmonella [2]. However, bitter almonds are still popular among many healthy food connoisseurs. In the alternative medicine community bitter almonds are promoted for their anti-cancer properties [1]. Speed of Response ◦Laboratory tests confirmed that this batch of almonds contained higher than normal quantities of glycoside amygdalin. Marin Food Specialties has not disclosed the date of the tests, and from the recall statement it is unclear how long Marin Food Specialties knew about the problem before issuing the recall [4]. Responsibility ◦Marin Food Specialties has not expressed any remorse for selling the almonds, but some people have expressed concern that they were unaware of the danger posed by bitter almonds. ETM 627 MATTHEW CALLIER 11/30/14 3

Impact of Recall Legal consequences ◦There have not been any reported law suites filed against Marin Food Specialties or Whole Foods Market Stores in relation to the recalled almonds. This episode has brought more attention to the currently ongoing debate in the organic food community about the legitimacy of the ban on the sale of bitter almond trees in the United States Reputation ◦Marin Food Specialties is a small company located in Byron, California. They specialize in canned products. They are offering a full refund to customers who return the poisonous almonds to the store. Since no one has been injured so far, this incident will probably not affect the company’s reputation. Sale ◦Besides the cost of the refund, no impact on the company’s sales has been reported. ETM 627 MATTHEW CALLIER 11/30/14 4

References [1] Corriher, S. C. (n.d.). Forbidden Fruits: Whatever Medicinal Foods the FDA Forbids. Retrieved from The Health Wyze Report : forbids.htmlhttp://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/251-forbidden-fruits-whatever-medicinal-foods-the-fda- forbids.html [2] Earvolino, P. (2014). Nutrition and Health: Almond Pasteurization. Retrieved from The Natural Grocers: [3] JAYASUNDERA, A. (2001). Almonds Bitter and Sweet. Retrieved from The Seattle Times : [4] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2014, Nov 18). Safety. Retrieved from U.S. Food and Drug Administration: ETM 627 MATTHEW CALLIER 11/30/14 5