North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ginda Kaplan Fisher <list@ginda.us>]

On Oct 28, 2006, at 6:45 PM, akmanty wrote:

> People are concerned about using apples that have fallen to the ground.
> What about using nuts?  We collect  hickory nuts, of course, for human
> consumption and I've wondered how to be sure they were safe to eat.  
> Any
> ideas?

The issue with cider is probably not the few bacteria that actually 
stick to the piece of fruit, it's the colony that they spawn in the 
sweet wet juice.  I doubt much grows on nuts between when you pick them 
off the ground and when you eat them, and besides, you usually eat the 
inside, not the shell.

I find it hard to imagine that e-coli on nuts is a serious problem, 
unless you eat one covered in poo.  :)