The often asked question
TO LABEL OR NOT TO LABEL? by Dan Titus
I am often asked: "Dan, do we need to heat-treat and/or provide a warning label on each glass of fresh-squeezed juice that we sell in our juice/smoothie bar, or restaurant?"
This is a good question and moreover, a very important issue. Therefore, let's take a look at the history, and government rules, and how these elements effect food safety.
A few years ago the FDA mandated that all unpasteurized packaged juice carry a warning label, as a direct result of contamination found in fresh-squeezed packaged juice. The company previously known as Odwalla (now merged with Fresh Samantha), in the wake of its 1996 E. coli outbreak, set a precedent to drive the FDA to act. It was determined that Odwalla fresh-packaged apple juice sickened people and even killed some children because of E. coli contamination. It was found that cattle feces had contaminated apples that were on the ground. These apples then got into the production process. The FDA warned people about drinking unpasteurized juice products.
The FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition announced that, "unpasteurized cider and juice can contain bacteria that make children; older adults; and people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV, AIDS, or cancer sick, and that people in these high-risk groups should drink only pasteurized cider and juice. Some kinds of juice and cider have not been pasteurized and may contain harmful bacteria. Unpasteurized juice and cider may not be labeled with a statement saying they are unpasteurized and warning of the risk of unpasteurized juice. Frozen concentrate, shelf-stable juice in hermetically sealed containers, and canned juice are processed to eliminate harmful bacteria. Fresh unpasteurized juices normally are found in the groceries' refrigerated sections. Unpasteurized apple cider may also be found at cider mills and farm markets."
Specific language now required on all packaged unpasteurized juice products must read as: "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."
2