Dont worryyou can still enjoy your favorite seasonal drink!
Just follow guidance from the experts.
But you may have heard that if apple cider isnt properly processed, it can make you sick.
Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Whats up with that?
What Is Pasteurization?
Pasteurization is a process of using high heat to kill potentially illness-causing bacteria.
And who wants to spend several days with diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps?
Why Should Cider Be Pasteurized?
Cider that includes ground-harvested apples must also be pasteurized.
Its one thing to carefully wash an apple before eating it.
Theres another reason cider is pasteurized: shelf life.
The same would be true of other juices derived from produce, such as orange juice or green juice.
Pasteurization strives to eliminate any microbes that can hasten spoilage, as well as those that can prevent illness.
Heat isnt the only way to pasteurize cider.
Ultraviolet light can be used as well.
The UV light attacks the microbes DNA, says Sims.
Without intact DNA, microbes cannot function.
This eventually kills them and keeps them from multiplying.
How Can You Tell If Cider Has Been Pasteurized?
Youre at the grocery store and want to purchase cider.
How do you know if its been pasteurized?
One easy way is to look for the FDA warning label that is required on all unpasteurized cider.
If it doesnt have the warning label, then it is pasteurized.
So ask the server or producer if their cider is pasteurized.
Roszkowski says that another way to determine if cider has been pasteurized is by the expiration date.
If it is weeks away, it has most likely been pasteurized.
you’re free to also make an educated guess based on where youre buying it.
If your supermarket is serving hot cider to sample, there may not be as much concern.
This doesnt mean, however, that you wont find pasteurized cider in the refrigerated section.
But if its not refrigerated, it definitely has been pasteurized.
The shelf-stable cider has likely been ultra-pasteurized and filtered, says Roszkowski.
If you cant find fresh apple cider thats been pasteurized, you could do it yourself.
All types of cider should be stored in the refrigerator after opening.
Unpasteurized cider should be used up within a week or less after opening.
Refrigerate all types of cider after opening and use it within the recommended time.
Above all, enjoy this seasonal beverage with family and friends!
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.What you oughta know about juice safety.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Food Safety.Symptoms of food poisoning.
American Cider Association.5 things to consider before using ground-harvested apples.
Association of Food and Drug Officials.Apple cider processing operations requirements and guidelines.
BC Centre for Disease Control.
Fruit, Vegetables & Grain Safety.How to pasteurize juice and cider safely.
College of Agriculture and Life Science.Flavor the holiday season with safe apple cider.
