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In the last decade in North America over 1,700 people have fallen ill after consuming juice and cider. Most of these outbreaks involved unpasteurized juices and ciders such as apple cider, orange juice and lemonades. Other fresh fruit juice outbreaks included pineapple, carrot, coconut, cane sugar, banana, acai and mixed fruit juices (source: CSPI, Outbreak Alert! Database).
The pathogens, or biological agents, responsible for these illnesses and deaths
include bacteria (viral and parasitic groups) as well as metal contaminants.
The most common pathogens were E.coli O157 and O111, Salmonella,
Cryptosporidium and norovirus. A few other outbreaks were due to Vibrio
cholerae, Clostridium botulinum, yeast and hepatitis A.
Yes! E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella can make you very sick. For instance, some people get permanent kidney damage (hemolytic uremic syndrome or HUS) from E. coli O157:H7 infections. Others have died. Hepatitis can cause liver damage. Botulism impairs nerve transmission and in severe cases causes deaths. Cryptosporidium causes prolonged diarrheal illness.
Infants, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems (such as those with HIV or those being treated for cancer) are most at risk. These people are safe to drink pasteurized juice and should keep juices refrigerated.
Facilities that serve juice such as schools, child and adult daycares, and
hospitals, should make sure it is pasteurized. Children on field trips to farms
or farm markets should not drink unpasteurized juice.
These bacteria are commonly found in cattle feces. Most outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 illness have been linked to food or water that has been contaminated with cattle feces. In the case of fruit juice, the fruit that the juice is made from can be contaminated with animal feces in several ways: from lying on ground where cattle or other animals have been; from fertilizers made from animal wastes; or from being carried in a container that has been contaminated. E. coli O157:H7 can also be spread by birds and humans. This is also true for pathogens such as Cryptosporidium (spread by cattle), Salmonella (spread by birds) and C. botulinum (found in soils). Other pathogens, such as norovirus and hepatitis A are spread by humans from poor food handling and handwashing practices.
Only purchase juice that has been pasteurized by the manufacturer. Most juices sold in stores are pasteurized.
The best way to kill pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 and other bacteria
is via pasteurization. According to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency, people who are at greatest risk of serious illness should boil unpasteurized
juice before drinking it. This is the safest way to protect yourself at home.
Most commercially processed juices are heated to about 85°C for about 16 seconds to destroy yeast and mold. These products are just as nutritious as if they were not heated. They taste good and last much longer than untreated juice.
Refrigeration alone does not destroy E. coli O157:H7 or other bacteria. Refrigeration does slow the growth of germs, bacteria, yeast and mold in juices, but it will not make or keep unpasteurized juice safe. Opened juices and unacidifed juices such as carrot juice, should always be kept refrigerated. Check the label instructions on the juice.
Washing the fruit before you make juice will reduce the numbers of harmful germs and bacteria on the peel, but it will not remove them all. Using a mild soap and/or a weak bleach solution (one teaspoon or 5 mL bleach to a litre of water) will help when you wash the fruit. Because it takes only a few of these organisms to make you sick (especially if you are at higher risk), washing alone cannot be relied upon to eliminate the risk of getting sick.
If you prepare juices at home, the following steps will help make the juice safe:
NOTE: Less acidic juices, such as carrot juice or high-pulp juices, should also be pasteurized by heating to a temperature of at least 70°C for 1 minute. In addition, these juices MUST be kept refrigerated to prevent the outgrowth of C. botulinum spores that are not destroyed by pasteurization and may lead to botulism toxin formation in the juice. Unpasteurized fruit juices should not be consumed by at risk populations.
Reference:
USFDA
Guidance for Industry: Juice HACCP Hazards and Controls Guidance First Edition;
Final Guidance
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