Raw Cider Is As Unsafe As Raw Milk
Come in, sit down. The last time we talked a little about pasteurization was when we talked about raw milk . Milk in stores is pasteurized to kill germs that can cause illness, but sometimes people look for “raw” milk that has been put through this process. (This is a bad idea. Don’t do it.) Now that apple cider is in season, health departments ask you to realize that the same problem applies to cider.
What else is pasteurization?
Cider and some other foods can be processed by heat pasteurization, a procedure that uses ultraviolet light to kill germs.
Traditional (heat) pasteurization is a process in which foods are brought to a high temperature, usually 140 degrees Fahrenheit, for a long enough time to kill bacteria. Notably, this is not the same temperature as boiling (212 degrees), so you won’t get the same flavor or texture as if the food were boiled. For example, eggs can be pasteurized , and their whites may be a little more opaque than raw eggs, but they are still raw and you won’t confuse them with hard-boiled eggs.
This process, named after pioneering microbiologist Louis Pasteur, was originally invented to stop the fermentation process in wine and beer. (As microbes continue to ferment the wine, it becomes more acidic.) Today it is widely used in many foods and can also be cooked using ultraviolet light instead of heat.
Almost all milk sold in grocery stores is pasteurized. (Depending on your state, raw milk is either a specialty product or completely illegal.) The same goes for most fruit juices. If you buy the cheapest or most common items at your local big box store, you have nothing to worry about.
How can you tell if your apple cider is pasteurized?
If you buy apple cider in a shelf-stable bottle at the grocery store, you can expect it to be pasteurized. (To be sure, check the label: Unpasteurized juices, including cider, must carry a warning.) But if you’re heading to a farm to pick your own apples or enjoying a hayride to a pumpkin patch, you might be offered a cup of Farm Fresh Cider.
Many farms and orchards pasteurize or UV-treat their cider, but sometimes they don’t. Food Safety News reports two E. coli outbreaks in 2015 and 2017 caused by apple cider served in California orchards. One sickened seven people, the other sickened 13. (The CDC’s investigation report into the 2015 outbreak can be read here .)
If you drink apple cider at a farmhouse, juice bar, or anywhere else where you can’t see the label, be sure to ask if it’s pasteurized. Some farms use terms like “UV-treated” instead of “pasteurized,” but they should be able to tell you what that means and whether it meets local health regulations.