So Easy to Preserve , University of Georgia, second edition. Additional information on canning, freezing, or drying apples, is available from the University Outreach and Extension offices listed on page 4. Using Dried Foods Choose pasteurized apple juice for safety W ith apple cider season upon us, choose pasteurized apple juice to avoid illness. About 98 percent of all juices sold in the United States is pasteurized, and juice products are generally safe and nutritious. However, the Food and Drug Administration estimates that up to 40,00 cases of juice-related illnesses from fresh, unpasteurized juices occur each year.
New regulations require that fresh, unpasteurized juices to be clearly labeled.
According to new FDA rules, any packaged, untreated juice must carry a warning statement advising consumers of the potential risks of juice that has not been processed to eliminate dangerous bacteria. This rule 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. FDA rules also require that all fruit and vegetable juice processors take steps to reduce the number of microorganisms in their product to the amount roughly equivalent to those achieved by pasteurization. Retailers and juice processors selling less than 40,000 gallons of fresh juice per year are exempt from this requirement. For best results, buy fresh apple juice from a local cider maker within 24 hours after it has been pressed.