It’s the Algae, Dear
That said, Corum notes that the blue-green algae harvesters cull their product from upper Klamath Lake, in Oregon. That’s good, for one, because the state of Oregon applies standards to algae harvesting, and, for another, because while the known-to-be-toxic algae M. aeruginosa is found in upper Klamath Lake, it doesn’t occur at the levels found lower in the river system. “But there’s other species that can be toxic, too,” says Corum. “I would be concerned about any supplement where they’re harvesting it from the wild.”
The “bottled sunshine” folks didn’t respond to an e-mail by press time. However, a consultant to Power Organics, one of the three harvesters of the blue-green algae AFA from upper Klamath Lake and an associated canal, said on Tuesday that of course their algae is a tonic, not a toxin. But “the microcystin issue is a serious one,” Gabriel Diamond says. He says the populations of different algae species fluctuate with the seasons, with blooms of the toxic M. aeruginosa typically peaking in the heat of summer and dying back to practically nil by late autumn. “We are not going to harvest until the microcystin species is nonvisible” under microscopes, he says. “We also have a microfiltration system that can separate out the microcystin. We were the company that developed this.”
Now, years ago, there was a serious flap over blue-green algae supplements. Someone died of liver failure, a company (not Diamond’s) got sued, and reports pro and con proliferated. Diamond says he doesn’t believe algae killed the person. But Craig Tucker, spokesman for the Karuk Tribe, says he figures the reports of toxic algae on the lower Klamath must be bad for the algae business, anyhow. “Now and then some snappy dressed person shows up at a water board meeting” to talk about the difference between their algae and the toxic stuff, Tucker says.
Diamond says his company’s used to the bad press by now. “I recommend this stuff to my friends,” he says.
Tucker, on the other hand, doesn’t do any health supplements. “I believe in three square meals a day,” he says.
→ post a comment
on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent short stories
June 11, 2009
Eye of the Beholder
June 11, 2009
Double Down
May 21, 2009
Pearls and Swine
Hank Sims
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
More →
0 Comments