Health officials are warning the public to read the label on their apple cider closely this fall.
A single detail could mean the difference between enjoying a seasonal drink and suffering from severe stomach upset.
The Ogle County Health Department in Illinois alerted consumers that Apple cider that has not been pasteurized can contain harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which can make people severely ill.
The Fulton County Health Department in Illinois issued a similar warning, adding that infants and young children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with compromised immune systems are at highest risk of bacterial illness from unpasteurized goods.
Apple cider is made from fresh apples and is typically murky with a golden hue because it’s usually unfiltered and unpasteurized. Pasteurization removes bacteria and extends an item’s shelf life.
When apples fall from their trees, they come into contact with dirt and possibly animal feces, which coats the apple in bacteria. Pasteurization uses heat to kill the harmful bacteria and other microorganisms that linger in the cider.
The FDA has received reports of food poisoning linked to apple cider in the past, but there is no specific yearly average for cases.
The agency added that most of the juice sold in the US is pasteurized, but some grocery stores, health food stores, mills, farmer’s markets, and juice bars sell packaged cider made on-site that has not been properly treated.
The Ogle County Health Department said: ‘Most apple orchards don’t take the time to pasteurize because it is not required.’
Warm apple cider is a popular cold-weather treat, but always check the cider you’re about to drink has been pasteurized
The department added: ‘Protect vulnerable people with an increased risk for foodborne illness by checking labels for pasteurization. It’s required to disclaim if the product has been heat treated or not.’
Unpasteurized apple cider led to an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in Illinois nine years ago caused by cryptosporidium, a microscopic parasite that is one of the leading causes of waterborne disease in the US.
More than 100 people who attended or drank cider at the Pike County fall festival in 2015 became sick, reporting profuse bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and vomiting.
In Northern California, seven people became ill after drinking unpasteurized cider contaminated with E. coli in 2017.
There were around 13 cases of E. coli confirmed two years earlier at another orchard in the area.
One of the most notable outbreaks of illness linked to unpasteurized cider occurred in 1996, when about 70 people were sickened, and one died due to E. coli in the juice.
A joint statement from the health departments for Pike and Adams counties at the time said: ‘This cider was not produced at a licensed cider manufacturer or orchard.
‘Cattle were on the farm near the site of the apple cider press. Cattle, especially young calves, are often known to carry cryptosporidium. The presence of cattle near a cider press can result in manure contamination.’
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Keith Schneider, a professor in the food science and human nutrition department at the University of Florida, told the Washington Post: ‘To me, the benefits of drinking unpasteurized apple cider do not outweigh the risks.’
The CDC recommends that anyone who buys unpasteurized apple cider boil it for at least 30 seconds before drinking it.
But boiling it for much longer can cause the apples to caramelize, destroying most of the drink’s nutritional value.
The Fulton County health department echoed Ogle County’s message and urged people to read labels closely.
The label on untreated juice should say: ‘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.’
If you buy apple cider from a vendor at a farmer’s market or an orchard, ask if it has been pasteurized before drinking it.
