MEDIA CONTACT: Les Bourquin, National Center for Food Safety and Toxicology at MSU, (517) 432-3100 or (517) 353-9554 or
Sue Nichols, Media Communications, (517) 355-2281, [email protected]
Apple Cider Q & A
Cider season arrives this year with renewed concerns about the safety of unpasteurized apple cider. The apple industry, the government, the retailers and consumers work to understand the food safety issues that surround cider. Michigan is one of the nation's leading producer of apple cider, and the state boasts hundreds of producers - ranging from major manufacturers to small "mom and pop" operations.
Les Bourquin, an assistant professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition with the National Center for Food Safety and Toxicology at Michigan State University, is available to address issues surrounding apple cider. Below is a summary of some of the issues he can address. Contact: Les Bourquin, (517) 353-9664 or Sue Nichols, Media Communications, 517-355-2281.
What are the health issues involving apple cider?
Unprocessed apple cider can harbor disease-causing bacteria, most notably the dangerous E. coli 0157:H7. There haven't been any known disease outbreaks attributed to Michigan cider, but other states have had cases.
The threat has lead to increased public concern about drinking cider. Last year, the FDA asked growers who press cider for sale to voluntarily post signs saying the cider was unpasteurized. This year, the signs are mandatory for growers who ship their products out of state.
At the same time, the Michigan Department of Agriculture in association with the Michigan Apple Cider Advisory Committee have recommended the following changes in the Good Manufacturing Practices for Michigan apple cider:
-- Prohibiting the use of dropped apples for unpasteurized apple cider.
-- Clearly labeling containers of apple cider and juice as pasteurized or unpasteurized.
Bacteria like E. coli come from animal waste. How does it get on apples?
Apples can come in contact with animal waste in a variety of ways. Untreated manure can be sprayed around crops as fertilizer. Waste can run off into orchards from nearby fields. Deer, rodent and bird droppings also find their way into orchards. Fruit that touches the ground is at the greatest risk, which is why there's concern about using dropped apples to make cider.
Disease-causing organisms can grow faster in the damaged and rotten areas of produce, and current washing methods don't entirely take care of the problem.
Why is this an issue now? We've been drinking cider for years.
True. But science has gotten better at identifying food-borne illnesses and pinpointing their point of origin. What once may have been written off as a fluke now can be traced to a source.
Consumers also have gotten better informed and are demanding more detailed labeling.
The risk in drinking unpasteurized cider, as for all food-borne illnesses, is greatest in sensitive populations: children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with suppressed immune systems. How do you get rid of bacteria and other germs?
Pasteurization - heating the cider to at least 160 degrees for six seconds - is enough to kill E. coli and salmonella. That's not boiling the cider, just heating it. It's a process that's effective, but the equipment is expensive - sometimes out of reach for small producers.
Does pasteurizing change the taste?
That's a subject of debate. Most people say no. I can't tell the difference.
Is this only a problem with small cider producers?
No. Nationally, serious outbreaks have occurred from large juice and cider producers. The problem can arise when proper sanitary, production and storage procedures are not followed.
What's the bottom line - is it safe to drink unpasteurized cider?
If you're a healthy adult, it's probably an acceptable risk to drink unpasteurized cider. That's just risk management - what we do every day when we decide to get in a car and drive.
But if a busload of kindergartners pulls up to a cider mill, I'd think twice. Members of sensitive populations - children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with suppressed immune systems - will be at a higher risk to get sick. Maybe seriously ill.
What can consumers do to make good decisions or protect themselves?
Read labels and ask questions. If a cider mill's label doesn't say the cider is pasteurized, ask. People also can ask their grocer. Be sure the cider is refrigerated, and note the 'use by' date. Unprocessed cider also can be heated at home, using a candy thermometer to make sure the cider heats to 160∞ F.
It's also important to handle cider properly. It must be refrigerated, and consumers must pay attention to the "use by" date on the label.
###
RSS