"MacadamiaNuts" news and stories

That's right, in case you hadn't heard, the macadamia nut giant, Mauna Loa, was in trouble with the EPA. It seems that the EPA had told Mauna Loa in 2004 that it needed to clean up three cesspools on its property by April of the next year. But guess what was still there when the EPA inspected in 2005? Yep, the cesspools were still in use.

Everything is all well, now. Mauna Loa has cleaned up, instituted a new wastewater system, and agreed to pay a $75,000 fine to the EPA. Wouldn't it have just been cheaper to do that in the first place?

[Via kitv.com]

I used to hate macadamia nuts with a passion. When I was a child and then a teen they just didn't taste right to me. Maybe it was from years of eating just cashews and pistachios and almonds all the time, I don't know, but I just didn't enjoy them at all.

Then I went to Hawaii in the 80's, and everything changed.

I'm sure you've heard that chocolate is bad for dogs, but did you know that macadamia nuts are poisonous to dogs? Now that the holidays are starting we tend to have more nuts around to nibble on. If you have dogs in your house you may want to make sure that they don't help themselves to your prized macadamias. When dogs eat them they can get a toxic reaction called macadamia nut toxicosis. Within twelve hours of eating the nuts they start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand, ataxia (walking wobbly), depression, vomiting, muscle tremors, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate.

Usually the symptoms go away within 48 hours but the weakness, vomiting, and fear can lead to dangerous, and sometimes deadly, shock. These symptoms can be even worse if your dog also eats some chocolate with the nuts. Then the effect of both combined is much worse and kidney failure can set in. So enjoy your nuts, but make sure that Lady and the Tramp get their doggy treats instead. Or a nice big bowl of spaghetti to share.

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