As de fall season dey approach, many people dey look forward to enjoying apple cider, but health officials dey issue warnings about de dangers of unpasteurized apple cider. According to de U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), unpasteurized apple cider can contain harmful bacteria like salmonella, e. coli, and cryptosporidium parasites, which can cause serious illness.
Those who are more at risk include young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Health departments and de FDA advise these groups to avoid unpasteurized foods and drinks, including apple cider. If you buy apple cider, make sure to check de label for de 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.”
Most apple orchards no dey pasteurize their apple cider because it is not required by law. However, most apple ciders sold in grocery stores in de United States are pasteurized. But if you buy apple cider from farmer’s markets, restaurants, or apple orchards, you need to ask if de cider is pasteurized because dis label is not required for juice or cider sold by de glass.
If you purchase unpasteurized cider, de Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend boiling it for at least one minute before drinking to kill any harmful bacteria. Health officials are placing warnings on social media and other platforms to inform consumers about de potential risks of unpasteurized apple cider.
