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Statement on Salmonella and Food Safety
5/24/04 Billion
Pound Crop Estimate 7/1/03
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Ballico, Calif., July 16, 2003 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA www.fda.gov) yesterday approved the first qualified health claim for conventional food, saying: "Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." According to the Almond Board of California (www.almondboard.com), the claim is "one of only six existing health claims relating to heart disease, and is the result of rigorous review of a large body of scientific research citing the heart health benefits of nuts." Dave Long, President of Hilltop Ranch, Inc. (www.hilltopranch.com) and an elected director of the Almond Board (a federal marketing order) says "This is of course very welcome news for the almond industry, and continues the trend of positive nutritional news that has marked higher demand for almonds during the past several years. It is extremely significant to be included in the first ‘qualified’ health claim issued by FDA." Recent rules changes at FDA allow the agency to issue qualified health claims, even before the scientific evidence may be considered conclusive, but where expert scientific evaluation supports the claim and includes language that accurately conveys to consumers the strengths and limits of the claim. In the case of tree nuts, including almonds, the FDA states: "though there is scientific evidence to support this claim, the evidence is not conclusive". According to industry consultant Victor Fulgoni, Ph.D. of Nutrition Impact LLC (www.nutritionimpact.com), "It means that consumers are hearing the results of the latest science more quickly and consumers can have confidence in the claim since FDA has reviewed the science." The claim was forthcoming in large measure because of a petition filed by the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation (www.nuthealth.org/), an international body based in Spain representing the global tree nut industry in more than 40 countries producing almonds, Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts. According to Long of Hilltop Ranch, this positive news is timely — the industry continues to break shipment records with its 2002 billion-pound crop, and expects to produce another billion-pound crop in 2003. "Shipment of 980 million pounds in this crop year is likely, and underscores our ability to support growing demand. We believe the almond is the world’s healthiest specialty crop, and our industry’s goal is to prove that through further research and testing." For more information, contact Hilltop Ranch, Inc. at info@hilltopranch.com, or tel. 1-209-874-1875. ©2003 Hilltop Ranch, Inc. |
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