July 4, 1998

THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES NEW FOOD SAFETY RULE REQUIRING LABELING FOR FRESH, UNTREATED JUICES July 4, 1998

EMBARGOED UNTIL July 4, 1998, 10:00am EDT
 
                  THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES NEW FOOD SAFETY
            RULE REQUIRING LABELING FOR FRESH, UNTREATED JUICES
                               July 4, 1998
 
In his weekly radio address, the President will announce the publication of
a final rule to improve the safety of fruit and vegetable juices.  The new
regulation, which will take effect in time for this year's apple cider
season, will help prevent illnesses from fresh, unpasteurized juices by
requiring labels to alert those most vulnerable to food-borne illness, such
as children and the elderly, of the risk associated with these products.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that there are up to
40,000 cases of juice-related illness (including both treated and untreated
juice) each year, and that this rule, especially when combined with another
proposed food safety rule, will significantly reduce that number.
 
Providing Warning Labels for Consumers. The FDA rule will require any
packaged untreated juice to be labeled with a warning statement advising
consumers of the potential risks of juice that has not been processed to
eliminate dangerous bacteria.  This requirement will apply to all
processors that package untreated juice for consumption off-site, including
retail processors such as grocery stores that squeeze and bottle juice for
home use.  Retail sellers of juice for consumption on-site -- such as
restaurants and juice bars -- will be exempt from this labeling
requirement.
 
As a result of this new rule, consumers will see the following label on
juice products that have not undergone pasteurization or a comparable
treatment: "WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and, therefore,
may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children,
the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems."
 
Labeling Rule Works Together With HACCP Rule.  The labeling rule will work
in tandem with another proposed rule that will require that all fruit and
vegetable juice processors implement a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control
Point (HACCP) system for their products to protect the public from health
hazards.  The proposed HACCP regulation will ensure that processors take
the steps necessary to reduce the number of microorganisms in their
products to an amount roughly equivalent to that achieved by
pasteurization.  Retailers of packaged juice, as well as processors who
sell less than 40,000 gallons of fresh juice per year, will be exempt from
this requirement.  FDA is in the process of seeking comments on this
proposal.
 
Safety of Juices.  About 98 percent of all juice sold in the United States
is pasteurized, and juice products generally are safe and nutritious.
During the past few years, however, several serious outbreaks of foodborne
illness have resulted from the consumption of juices that have not been
pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy pathogens.  As a result of the
two rules described above, FDA estimates that up to 40 million additional
gallons of juice will be pasteurized, and the incidence of illness
significantly reduced.
 

This is a mirror of the White House press release, July 4, 1998, from the <http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/html/briefroom.html> White House Briefing Room.

Final Rule: Labeling of Juices July 8, 1998

Proposed Rule: HACCP for Juices July 8, 1998