NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Care of apples to be used for processing into fresh cider begins
in the orchard. Cidermakers buying in apples for processing
should learn about production practices and care before accepting
them.
Animal manure and biosolids should not be used in apple orchards.
No animals should be allowed to graze in an orchard from which
apples might be used for processing into fresh apple cider. In
areas with high deer populations, fences or other devices to
restrict access should be used. If controls are not available,
apples should not be picked from the ground for use in fresh
cider.
Make every effort to prevent wild and domestic animals from
entering or living in your orchard. Fecal material from animals
can contain pathogenic bacteria such as E.coli O 157-H7,
Cryptosporiduim and other contaminants.
Pruning waste and other brush should be removed from orchard and
disposed of or properly recycled. This practice plus adequate
mowing encourages animals to seek habitat outside of the orchard.
Fruit soiled by birds can also contain pathogenic bacteria and
should not be used in unpasteurized apple juice or uncooked apple
products.
Pickers should be regularly instructed to thoroughly wash their
hands with warm water and soap, or to use an anti-microbial soap
or hand sanitizer after each use of toilet facilities. Signs
should be posted in toilet areas reminding pickers to wash their
hands before returning to work. Hand washing or other hand
sanitizing facilities should be available to pickers and other
help in remote orchards or remote portions of larger orchards.
The Worker Protection Standard requires that such facilities be
located within 1/4 mile of where the work is taking place. It is
recommended that growers provide mobile facilities that accompany
workers to the work site.
Apples should be picked into clean containers, free of dirt and
debris. Boxes, field bins and other containers should be used
exclusively for fresh apples, and should not be used for storing
debris, garbage, or other non-food materials.
Runners on field bins should be cleaned to prevent contaminating
apples in lower bins, if stacked. If field bins are contaminated
with soil, they should be washed in a manner to avoid splashing
soil or debris onto other containers.
If dropped apples are used, they should be picked up daily to
lessen time in contact with the ground. Decayed or damaged
apples should not be combined with fruit intended for processing
into fresh cider. Cidermakers using drops must take steps to
avoid contamination of such apples with manure or soil. Such
controls include, but are not limited to: double-washing and
double-brushing of apples before processing, use of sanitizers in
the washing/brushing process and continuous inspection of apples
being processed and preventing contact with all fecal matter.
Apples must be handled in such a way that they are protected from
contamination with manure, other fecal material, meat products or
other wastes. Apples in field bins or other containers should
not be stored in areas in which birds frequently roost.
Apples should be carefully inspected and washed with potable
(drinking quality) water in a wet brush washer or scrubber
immediately prior to processing.
Apples not suitable for eating are not suitable for processing
into fresh cider. The quality of the final product will only be
as good as the quality of the raw materials going into it.
Only firm, ripe, whole apples should be used for the production
of fresh cider. Fruit badly damaged by insects or other pests,
cuts, stem punctures, or containing decay are not suitable for
processing into fresh cider.
Handle and store apples in clean containers. Clean and sanitize
containers periodically. Cleaning will improve the storage life
of the fruit and the container will last longer.
Keep all processing apples in cold storage as close to 32 degrees
Fahrenheit but not exceeding 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Animals such
as cats, dogs, birds, wild animals, etc. must be kept out of
processing and storage areas of the building.
A weak chlorine residual may be maintained in the wash water to
help destroy bacteria. The concentration should be held at
50-100 PPM, measured with a chlorine test kit/strip. Chlorine is
easily "used up," so it must be checked routinely.
Wash water should be 10 degrees warmer than the fruit being
processed. Scientists have shown that when water temperature is
colder than fruit temperature, a temperature induced vacuum on
the surface of the fruit can cause the fruit to draw in wash
water. If contaminates are present in the waste water they could
be drawn into the flesh of the fruit.
One simple way to monitor this is to take the temperature of the
wash water, make sure it is at least 10 degrees warmer than your
cooler, and make sure you press only fully chilled apples
directly from your cooler.
All persons working in the processing area should wear clean
outer garments, maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness
and conform to hygienic practices while on duty to prevent
contamination of food products. All persons should wash hands
thoroughly before starting work, after each absence from the
working area, and at any other time when the hands have become
unduly soiled. All jewelry which cannot be adequately sanitized
should be removed before handling food. Clean hair restraints
(hairnets, headbands, caps, etc.) should be worn. Use plastic
gloves approved for food handling whenever possible.
Tobacco in any form should not be used in rooms where food or
food ingredients are handled. No one should sit or lie on food
processing equipment. No person who has, or is a carrier of a
communicable disease should work in a food processing plant. No
persons affected with boils, sores, infected wounds, or other
abnormal sources of microbiological contamination should work in
a food processing plant. Cider pressing operations are
considered to be food processing plants.
Filter cloths should be specifically designed for pressing cider,
made of durable materials, and replaced as frequently as
necessary. During processing the cloths should be handled in a
sanitary manner. This includes hanging them on a line or placing
them in a clean container off the floor between runs. At the end
of each day all used press cloths should be washed, rinsed,
dipped in a sanitizing solution, and hung to dry by spreading on
a clean line in a well ventilated and screened area away from
flies and vermin. Automatic laundry equipment is helpful, but do
not use home equipment that is used to wash clothing.
Ventilation is especially important after sanitizing. An
adequate sanitizing solution can be prepared by mixing 1-1/2 to 2
oz. commercial liquid bleach in 10 gallons clean water. Be sure
not to make the sanitizing solution too strong.
Hot and cold water under pressure must be available in the
processing and filling area. A hand sink, provided with hot and
cold running water, soap and sanitary towels (paper or cloth
roller towels, not common towels) or hot air drier, is necessary.
Equipment cleaning and sanitizing can be done with pressure hoses
and/or sinks. A high-pressure washer is highly recommended for
equipment cleaning.
Any processing run should be started with cleaned and sanitized
equipment, including the cider filter cloths.
When apples are custom processed as a service, the cider press
should be cleaned and sanitized between each batch to prevent
cross-contamination unless apples are thoroughly wet-washed and
brushed before pressing each batch.
Press racks must be made of food-grade plastic, steel, or if
hardwood, sealed with paraffin or other approved coatings. Keep
press racks off the floor at all times. At the end of each day,
all used press racks should be washed, sanitized and allowed to
dry. While drying, the racks must be placed off the floor in a
well ventilated, screened location.
All cider tubing must be approved for food use, and all plastic
tubing must be transparent. Tubing must be protected from
abrasion and breakage, and must be easy to replace. If the
tubing passes through spaces that are not easily accessible, the
tubing must pass through as one piece, and it must be easy to
clean. Tubing must be continuous as much as possible with a
minimal number of couplings. Tubing, clamps and couplings must
be periodically disassembled, cleaned and sanitized. Tubing must
be cleaned and sanitized after each day of production. Store
tubes and hosed in a self-draining position after each use.
Galvanized buckets, pipe or sheeting are not allowed.
Brass fittings for hoses, brass filler spouts or other equipment
made of brass that comes in contact with apple cider cannot be
used. The acidic cider will leach copper out of the brass.
All equipment and surfaces that contact the apples or the cider
must be food grade smooth, non-absorbent and easy to clean.
Examples of problems encountered during inspections include:
cardboard chutes for apples, raw and splintered wood, rusty
equipment, rough welds and cracks and corners on equipment that
could not be easily cleaned.
Individual containers and lids should be new and filled in a
sanitary manner. Mechanical filling and capping is preferred
because it minimizes contamination by hand contact.
Chemicals, pesticides and solvents should be stored away from the
processing or filling area to prevent accidental contamination of
the equipment or cider.
Apple cider should be cooled to below 41 degrees F immediately
after pressing. For extended shelf-life, keep the temperature of
the apple cider close to 32 degrees F.
Pressed pomace should be properly disposed of either in a
sanitary landfill or spread on fields and worked into the ground.
Check with local authorities regarding disposal regulations.
If preservatives such as potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate are
added to apple cider, keep records of the formula to determine
percentage, amount of preservative and volume of cider for each
batch.
All equipment that comes in contact with apples and apple cider
should be cleaned and sanitized daily or after each use. A
food-grade sanitizer, used according to manufacturer's
directions, is the last step in the cleaning process and should
not be rinsed off the surface. Commercial 5 1/2% liquid chlorine
bleach can be used as an effective sanitizer (use 1 oz. bleach
per gallon of water).
The concentration/strength of sanitizer used in the apple washing
process or for sanitizing equipment and utensils must be checked
periodically with a test strip. These test strips are generally
available wherever the sanitizer was purchased, including most
restaurant supply houses. The concentration of liquid chlorine
bleach must be 50 to 100 parts per million (PPM), which will show
a medium blue color on chlorine test strips. Concentrations for
other types of sanitizers are listed on the container label.
Refrigeration equipment, including walk-in coolers, dairy type
bulk tanks and refrigerators, should be in good repair and able
to maintain required temperatures. Check that refrigerant in the
cooler is fully charged, coils do not have a dust build-up and
door gaskets form a tight seal. The thermometer should be
conspicuous and easy to read.
All equipment and supplies that come in contact with the apples
or cider, such as jugs and lids, preservatives, filter cloths,
press racks, hoses, etc., must be stored 6 inches off the floor
in a clean, protected and dry location.
If equipment is stored outside or in any area subject to dust or
other contamination, it must be completely cleaned and sanitized
before each use.
When water is supplied from a private well, the location of the
well, construction and water quality are important. They must be
in compliance with state and local regulations.
Well location: It must be at least 50 feet from potential
sources of contamination, such as septic systems, cattle lots,
etc.
Well construction: Well cap must be tight and 12 inches above
the ground. Ground must be graded so water runs away from the
well, and any air vent must be screened. If there is a well pit,
there can be no standing water.
Water quality: Private well water should be tested annually for
bacteria and nitrates. Well construction and water testing must
comply with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
regulations and local municipal laws.
The processing and filling area must be physically separated from
apple storage and other work areas.
The doors, walls and windows must be tight, self-closing and
screened in season if kept open during processing. Open doors
and windows may need to be closed during windy, dusty weather to
minimize product and surface contamination.
Lighting must be adequate and all light fixture must be shielded
in the processing and filling areas and wherever apples or cider
are exposed.
An integrated pest control program is necessary. Only pesticides
approved for food establishments may be used in the cider
processing area. Poison rodent bait (restricted to areas outside
of the processing and filling room), if used, must be set out in
enclosed bait stations. Remove accumulation of old equipment,
building materials, debris, etc., around buildings to discourage
rodent infestations.
Federal laws require certain minimum information on apple cider
labels:
Name of the product (apple cider)
Company name and address (city, state, zip) or
manufacturer or distributor
Net quantity
Ingredient statement
Nutrition labeling (unless exempt)
Recommended label information includes:
"Keep Refrigerated" statement
"Sell By" or "Best If Used By" date
Lot code
If a preservative such as sodium benzoate or potassium
sorbate is used in the apple cider, it must be listed in the
ingredient statement or may be on other labeling.
Keeping records of the source of apples, volume of the batch,
distribution of the cider, lot code, etc., is strongly
recommended.
USDA's National Advisory Committee on Microbial Criteria for
Foods is recommending that an acceptable level of risk for cider
is achieved by performing a five-log reduction in food borne
pathogens, meaning 99.999%. Although not currently required,
pasteurization is the most effective means of achieving a
five-log or five-D kill. Producers are urged to consider this
option, or a combination of options that will achieve a five-log
kill. A working HACCP plan is an important part of any effective
safe cider production process.
Pasteurization is highly effective because it is applied to the
finished product and uses heat to kill bacteria in the product.
The use of a sanitizing agent in the wash water is the next most
common microbiological kill step. But testing must be done by
the producer to ensure that the recommended kill is occurring.
Since this method treats the raw fruit prior to processing,
proper equipment sanitation between pressings is essential.
Following are recommended minimum requirements for
pasteurization:
Cider should be filtered prior to pasteurization. Solid
particles are difficult or impossible to sterilize under liquid
pasteurization requirements. Most equipment manufacturers
recommend pumping juice through a filter into an initial holding
tank and from there pumping it through the pasteurizer into a
second holding tank or into the bottle filler.
Cider should be brought to 160 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum
of 6 seconds. Pasteurization equipment should have a safety
return loop (by-pass valve) to insure that pasteurization times
and temperatures reach minimal standards.
Pasteurization at 160-170 degrees does not usually have an
adverse affect on flavor and quality.
Equipment must be constructed of food grade materials, and must
be easy to clean.
Pasteurization equipment should be a "clean-in-place" (CIP)
system, which includes pump-through cleaning.
The pasteurizer must be equipped with an automatic time and
temperature recording log. The device must provide the producer
with a permanent record of time and temperature.
Other methods for achieving a 5 log kill including multiple step
process may be used if FDA approved.
All equipment that comes in contact with apples and apple cider
should be cleaned and sanitized daily or after each use. A
food-grade sanitizer, used according to manufacturer's
directions, is the last step in the cleaning process and should
not be rinsed off the surface. Commercial 5 1/2% liquid chlorine
bleach can be used as an effective sanitizer (use 1 oz. bleach
per gallon of water).
The concentration/strength of sanitizer used in the apple washing
process or for sanitizing equipment and utensils must be checked
periodically with a test strip. These test strips are generally
available wherever the sanitizer was purchased, including most
restaurant supply houses. The concentration of liquid chlorine
bleach must be 50 to 100 parts per million (PPM), which will show
a medium blue color on chlorine test strips. Concentrations for
other types of sanitizers are listed on the container label.
Refrigeration equipment, including walk-in coolers, dairy type
bulk tanks and refrigerators, should be in good repair and able
to maintain required temperatures. Check that refrigerant in the
cooler is fully charged, coils do not have a dust build-up and
door gaskets form a tight seal. The thermometer should be
conspicuous and easy to read.
All equipment and supplies that come in contact with the apples
or cider, such as jugs and lids, preservatives, filter cloths,
press racks, hoses, etc., must be stored 6 inches off the floor
in a clean, protected and dry location.
If equipment is stored outside or in any area subject to dust or
other contamination, it must be completely cleaned and sanitized
before each use.
When water is supplied from a private well, the location of the
well, construction and water quality are important. They must be
in compliance with state and local regulations.
It must be at least 50 feet from potential
sources of contamination, such as septic systems, cattle lots,
etc.
Well cap must be tight and 12 inches above
the ground. Ground must be graded so water runs away from the
well, and any air vent must be screened. If there is a well pit,
there can be no standing water.
Private well water should be tested annually for
bacteria and nitrates. Well construction and water testing must
comply with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
regulations and local municipal laws.
The processing and filling area must be physically separated from
apple storage and other work areas.
The doors, walls and windows must be tight, self-closing and
screened in season if kept open during processing. Open doors
and windows may need to be closed during windy, dusty weather to
minimize product and surface contamination.
Lighting must be adequate and all light fixture must be shielded
in the processing and filling areas and wherever apples or cider
are exposed.
An integrated pest control program is necessary. Only pesticides
approved for food establishments may be used in the cider
processing area. Poison rodent bait (restricted to areas outside
of the processing and filling room), if used, must be set out in
enclosed bait stations. Remove accumulation of old equipment,
building materials, debris, etc., around buildings to discourage
rodent infestations.
USDA's National Advisory Committee on Microbial Criteria for
Foods is recommending that an acceptable level of risk for cider
is achieved by performing a five-log reduction in food borne
pathogens, meaning 99.999%. Although not currently required,
pasteurization is the most effective means of achieving a
five-log or five-D kill. Producers are urged to consider this
option, or a combination of options that will achieve a five-log
kill. A working HACCP plan is an important part of any effective
safe cider production process.
Pasteurization is highly effective because it is applied to the
finished product and uses heat to kill bacteria in the product.
The use of a sanitizing agent in the wash water is the next most
common microbiological kill step. But testing must be done by
the producer to ensure that the recommended kill is occurring.
Since this method treats the raw fruit prior to processing,
proper equipment sanitation between pressings is essential.
Following are recommended minimum requirements for
pasteurization:
Cider should be filtered prior to pasteurization. Solid
particles are difficult or impossible to sterilize under liquid
pasteurization requirements. Most equipment manufacturers
recommend pumping juice through a filter into an initial holding
tank and from there pumping it through the pasteurizer into a
second holding tank or into the bottle filler.
Cider should be brought to 160 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum
of 6 seconds. Pasteurization equipment should have a safety
return loop (by-pass valve) to insure that pasteurization times
and temperatures reach minimal standards.
Pasteurization at 160-170 degrees does not usually have an
adverse affect on flavor and quality.
Equipment must be constructed of food grade materials, and must
be easy to clean.
Pasteurization equipment should be a "clean-in-place" (CIP)
system, which includes pump-through cleaning.
The pasteurizer must be equipped with an automatic time and
temperature recording log. The device must provide the producer
with a permanent record of time and temperature.
Other methods for achieving a 5 log kill including multiple step
process may be used if FDA approved.