KNOW
About JUICE SAFETY
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KNOW About JUICE SAFETY |
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Juices may often look alike, but there is a difference between pasteurized and unpasteurized juice.
When fruits and vegetables are made into fresh-squeezed juice, harmful bacteria that may be present can become part of the finished product. Most juice in the United States, 98 percent, is pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria.
The remaining two percent of juice sold is unpasteurized. Unpasteurized juice may contain harmful bacteria that make some people sick.
To help consumers identify unpasteurized juice and cider, the Food and Drug Administration is requiring a warning on these products.
Why is "WARNING" information needed now?
Recent serious outbreaks of foodborne illness have been traced to the drinking of unpasteurized juices. The warning information is to help consumers decide whether to buy unpasteurized juice.
Why are some people more likely to get sick from drinking unpasteurized juice?
Most people's immune systems can usually fight off the effects of foodborne illness. Children, the elderly, and people who have significant health problems, or those whose immune systems are weakened, risk serious illness or even death if they drink juice or cider contaminated with harmful bacteria.
What can I do if I can't tell if the juice or cider I've purchased is pasteurized?
If you or someone in your family is one of the high-risk groups and you cannot determine if a juice product has been processed to destroy harmful bacteria, either don't use the product or bring it to a boil to kill any possible harmful bacteria.
Juice that is pasteurized may not say so on the label. Follow these guidelines for selecting juice products.
Unpasteurized Juice is normally found in the refrigerated sections of grocery or health food stores or at cider mills or farm markets. Unpasteurized juice should have warning information on the label or on a nearby sign. *
Pasteurized Juice is normally found as frozen concentrated juice or in non-refrigerated shelf-stable containers, such as juice boxes, bottles, or cans. Pasteurized juice can also be found in the refrigerated sections of stores.
* This warning information will appear either on product labels
or on signs located near where the juice is sold,
beginning on September 8, 1998, for apple juice
and cider and beginning in November 1998, for all other juice products.
By November 1999, all unpasteurized or untreated juice products
will contain the warning on the label only.
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Where can I get more information about food safety?
Call FDA's Food Information Hotline: 1-800-FDA-4010 Check FDA's website: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov |
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Hypertext updated by cjm/ear/dms 2001-JAN-02