Unpasteurized apple cider could cause health risks – TribLIVE

Is that apple cider pasteurized? Your health might depend on it.

Drinking unpasteurized glasses of apple cider could cause health risks, the Washington Post reported.

Though most juice sold in the United States has been pasteurized, unpasteurized apple cider is more common at orchards and farmers markets, which are popular gathering spots in the fall.

“Ciderists say unpasteurized apple cider is more flavorful because the pasteurization process — which most commonly uses heat to kill harmful bacteria and extend shelf life — alters the taste,” the Post said.

However, unpasteurized apple cider offers a greater risk of foodborne illness, according to the Post. It can contain pathogenic bacteria like E. coli and salmonella, or parasites like cryptosporidium, which can cause foodborne illness, particularly among children, older people, pregnant individuals and those who are immunocompromised.

Pasteurization is the process of using high heat to kill potential bacteria, according to EatingWell. While bacteria might not bother those with strong immune systems, the Food and Drug Administration said those with compromised immune systems could experience serious illness or death from ingestion.

“To me, the benefits of drinking unpasteurized apple cider do not outweigh the risks,” Keith Schneider, a professor in the food science and human nutrition department at the University of Florida, told the Post.

Local health departments nationwide have posted warnings about unpasteurized apple cider on social media heading into the fall.

“While the risk of any one person getting sick from unpasteurized apple cider is relatively low, it is exponentially higher than from pasteurized cider, food safety experts said,” according to the Post.

Juice that is unpasteurized should carry a warning label, according to federal regulations.

Lynsee Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Apple Association, said apple cider that is pressed and sold to customers on the same property is exempt from pasteurization requirements but still subject to rigorous federal and state food manufacturing requirements, the Post said.

“Some protocols include using only freshly harvested apples that have never touched the ground, the standard practice of washing the apples with food-grade soap and water, and washing and sanitizing all equipment,” the Post reported.

Apple cider, made from fresh apples, “is typically a bit murky and golden-colored because its unfiltered and unpasteurized. Most apple orchards don’t take the time to pasteurize because it is not required,” Illinois’s Ogle County Health Department shared on social media, CBS News said.

If people decide to make apple cider by hand at home, they should choose high-quality apples, wash them thoroughly with running water and heat the cider to a boil before drinking, according to experts.