A message from Dr. Zane Helsel, Director, Rutgers Cooperative
Extension
October 11, 1997
As Fall arrives, so does fresh apple cider. Unfortunately, cider and other
unpasteurized juices have been linked with outbreaks of food-borne disease
several times in the 1980's and 90's. This message provides an update on
the efforts by the FDA, the apple industry, and RCE to address this
potential problem.
While I recognize that not all of RCE conducts programs in cider production
or food safety, all of us are potential consumers, thus this document is
one I would encourage you to read and share. This document can be used to
answer any questions from concerned consumers, cider producers or the news
media.
This set of Answers to Frequently Asked Questions is based on a document
prepared by the U.S Apple Association (USAA) and customized for New Jersey
by Bob Belding and Don Schaffner, with input from Win Cowgill, Bill Tietjen
and others.
Zane Helsel
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Answers to Frequently-Asked Questions - Fall 1997
The risk of fresh (unpasteurized) apple cider becoming contaminated by
foodborne pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 is low. However, certain people
are at greater risk of complications from E. coli O157:H7 -related illness,
including children, the elderly and persons with compromised immune
systems. These people should take special precautions to protect themselves
from any food that might have been contaminated by this pathogen. This
includes boiling unpasteurized apple cider before drinking it, or drinking
pasteurized cider or juice.
1. What's generating the recent interest in cider safety?
The recent interest was provoked by an FDA "notice of intent"
to propose
new regulations for fresh (unpasteurized) juices.
A small number of outbreaks of foodborne illness have been caused by
pathogen-contaminated unpasteurized (fresh) apple juice, called "apple
cider" by many producers. Compared to other sources of foodborne illnesses,
cider has constituted a minor problem, though the consequences of foodborne
illness can be severe in some persons. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention has tallied over 300 illnesses and two deaths linked to
contaminated cider since 1980.
2. What about pasteurized apple juice and cider?
Pasteurized apple juice and cider have been heat treated to kill harmful
bacteria and prolong shelf life. According to the U. S. Apple Association,
more than 90 percent of apple juice and apple cider sold in the United
States is currently pasteurized. Grocery shelf apple juice has been
pasteurized, and frozen juice concentrate also has been heat-treated. Apple
cider and juice sold refrigerated in the produce department or dairy case
may or may not have been pasteurized; check the product's label, as more
and more producers are labeling pasteurized product as such, or ask your
retailer or contact the producer to be sure.
3. How could pathogens contaminate apple cider?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points to two possible
sources of contamination: (1) windfall apples, called "drops"
or
"grounders" by the apple industry, that get contaminated by harmful
bacteria on the ground, and (2) pathogen-contaminated water sources,
such as wells or lakes.
4. Is this a new problem for apple cider?
Well, it depends what you mean by new... E. coli O157:H7 is a strain of
E.
coli that was first identified in 1982. This strain is more acid-tolerant
than its relatives, and as a result can survive in acidic apple cider. This
same strain of E. coli can also cause illness or even death in humans
because of its acid tolerance and certain virulence factors. More typical
strains of E. coli have probably lived in human intestines since we
appeared on the planet and don't pose any significant health hazard.
5. What's the relative risk of drinking contaminated unpasteurized apple
cider?
According to CDC, the leading causes by far of E. coli O157:H7-related
illnesses are ground beef products that are not thoroughly cooked. Swimming
in or drinking sewage-contaminated water, and person-to-person
transmissions are other leading causes of E. coli O157:H7 infections. Cider
caused about 3 percent of all reported outbreaks of food poisoning from
E.
coli O157:H7 between 1982 and 1994.
Nearly half of cider producers responding to a U.S. Apple Association
survey report that they don't use windfall apples when making cider. A
majority of respondents also reported they've tested their water supplies.
Municipal water supplies are typically tested for and treated against
bacterial contamination. Steps taken by the industry since last fall have
further lowered the risk.
6. What are apple cider producers and others doing to address the potential
for future problems?
Apple cider producers share the public health and food safety communities'
goal of producing safe cider and protecting their customers' health. The
industry has already voluntarily done much to address this problem.
For example, since last fall cider schools and other training sessions for
cider producers have been held in 25 of 32 cider-producing states,
including all the major cider-producing areas.
New Jersey (Rutgers) was one of the first, sponsoring a Cider Symposium
in
March 1994.
The goal of these schools is to educate cider producers about the new risks
they face and to provide information on steps they can take to address
those risks.
The NJ Department of Agriculture and Department of Health have each issued
similar guidelines for cider manufacturers designed to reduce the risk of
contamination by E. coli O157:H7.
7. What else do cider producers need to further respond?
Little is known about foodborne pathogens like E. coli O157:H7, and even
less is known about these pathogens as they relate to specific foods such
as unpasteurized apple cider. Research is needed to reveal how foodborne
pathogens contaminate cider and what control options are effective.
Validation of current industry sanitation practices is also needed. Small
cider producers also need an effective treatment alternative to costly
pasteurization. Some help is already on the way; several research projects
are proposed or are underway, and new treatment technologies are being
evaluated. In the mean time, some producers are testing water sources, and
avoiding the use of drops or grounders in the production of cider.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension recommends that cider producers follow the
NJ
Department of Health "Recommendations for Good Manufacturing Practices
and
Plant Sanitation in Apple Cider Press Operations", available by calling
(609) 588 3123.
8. What is FDA doing?
FDA has just made public its intent to stiffen regulation of the fresh
juice industry, including mandatory HACCP for fresh juice producers.
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, a
comprehensive system for assuring food safety. Food microbiologists around
the world, in government, industry and academia all believe HACCP to be
the
best means currently available to keep food safe. HACCP was originally
developed to assure the safety of foods prepared for the NASA space
program. HACCP has been used in the canning industry for more than 20 years
with great success. The FDA 1997 model Food Code for Restaurant food safety
is based on HACCP. The FDA now requires HACCP for all US seafood producers,
and the USDA does the same for meat and poultry processors. The FDA is
considering mandatory HACCP for the entire food industry, although if this
happens, it probably won't be before the year 2000.
FDA is requesting that fresh juice producers voluntarily provide a warning
statement. The warning labels should contain three elements; a statement
of
the potential presence of bacteria that cause serious illness, a statement
that the product has not been processed or heated to destroy harmful
bacteria, a statement that children, the elderly and people with weakened
immune systems are at greatest risk of illness from exposure to harmful
bacteria in juice products. The warning statement can be placed on cider
containers, at point of sale, or in consumer brochures.
9. What Is Rutgers Cooperative Extension doing?
Rutgers has assisted both the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and
Department of Health by reviewing recommended procedures for producing
fresh cider. Rutgers has a Food Science Specialist on the US Apple
Association cider safety task force.
We focused two of our state wide Plant and Pest Newsletters, Fruit Edition,
on the Cider Issue: They are available on the world wide web at:
September 16, 1997 Volume 2 No.24
http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/ag/plant%26pestadvisory/1997/fr0923.pdf
September 23, 1997 volume 2 No. 25
http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/ag/plant%26pestadvisory/1997/fr0923.pdf
In Addition we have been discussing the problem on the Internet,
face-to-face with colleagues in other states, in our news releases, and
at
Extension meetings with the public.
Rutgers is a participating member of the Northeast Regional Food Safety
Initiative (NERFSI) group working to get additional food safety research
and extension money for the NE region, some of which will be used to
improve the safety of cider.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension will be cosponsoring a second cider symposium
and workshop with the NJ State Horticulture Society this spring. The first
workshop in 1996 was attended by the majority of NJ Cider Producers.
Additional information is available on the Internet located at
http://orchard.uvm.edu. This site is managed by a cooperative venture
between Rutgers and the University of Vermont.
10. Why might small apple cider producers be opposed to pasteurization?
Many apple cider producers fear that heat-treating will have negative
impacts on this product's unique taste and would lower product quality.
The
industry is currently debating whether this opinion is still valid today
given the current level of knowledge about effective pasteurization
requirements.
A major issue is whether cider producers can afford pasteurization
equipment. Most apple-cider mills are small businesses for whom a capital
investment of between $10,000 to $30,000 for pasteurization equipment may
be beyond their means.
11. What should consumers do to protect themselves?
The risk of contracting illness from fresh cider is low, and healthy
adults who might encounter E. coli O157:H7 may not experience any serious
effects. However, children, the elderly and persons with weakened immune
systems are at greater risk of complications from illness caused by the
bacteria. These persons should take precautions to protect themselves from
foods that might carry these bacteria.
The symptoms of E.coli O157:H7 food poisoning include diarrhea, possibly
bloody diarrhea, and may be followed by conditions which can cause kidney
failure, death, or a life-long need for mechanical kidney dialysis.
Cider which is contaminated by E. coli O157:H7 does not look, smell or
taste different from normal apple cider.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise that concerned
consumers can reduce their risk of infection by first boiling fresh cider.
Bringing unpasteurized cider just to a boil is adequate.
However, boiling changes the flavor by removing some volatiles and
chemically changing others.
Natural fermentation appears to inactivate E. coli O157:H7, but the
research is not sufficient to show this will reliably control the problem
all of the time.
Cider containing preservatives (like sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate)
substantially reduces the risk of food poisoning by E. coli O157:H7.
Based on an document originally written by U.S. Apple Association, 6707
Old
Dominion Drive, Suite 320, McLean, Virginia 22101-4556 USA; Phone (703)
442-8850 fax (703) 790-0845