
Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after preparation.Also, don’t hesitate to ask if the labeling is unclear or if the juice or cider is sold by the glass. Ask if you are unsure if a juice product is treated, especially for juices sold in refrigerated cases in grocery or health food stores, cider mills, or farmers’ markets.Untreated juice is most likely to be sold in the refrigerated section of a grocery store. You can find pasteurized or otherwise treated products in your grocers’ refrigerated sections, frozen food cases, or in non-refrigerated containers, such as juice boxes, bottles, or cans. Look for the warning label to avoid the purchase of untreated juices.However, FDA does not require warning labels for juice or cider that is sold by the glass – for example, at apple orchards, farmers’ markets, roadside stands, juice bars, and some restaurants.įollow These Simple Steps to Prevent Illness When Purchasing Juice 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. These untreated products should be kept under refrigeration and are required to carry the following warning on the label:

However, some grocery stores, health food stores, cider mills, farmers’ markets, and juice bars sell packaged juice that was made on site that has not been pasteurized or otherwise treated to ensure its safety. Juice products may also be treated by non-heat processes for the same purpose. Most of the juice sold in the United States is pasteurized (heat-treated) to kill harmful bacteria. While most people’s immune systems can usually fight off the effects of foodborne illness, children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems (such as transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or diabetes) risk serious illnesses or even death from drinking untreated juices. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received in the past, reports of outbreaks of foodborne illness, often called “food poisoning,” that have been traced to drinking fruit and vegetable juice and cider that has not been treated to kill harmful bacteria. Unless the produce or the juice has been pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy any harmful bacteria, the juice could be contaminated. Recommendations regarding fruit juice consumption based on current data are also given.When fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed or used raw, bacteria from the produce can end up in your juice or cider. This paper reviews the role of fruit juice in the diets of infants and children and outlines areas for future research.
In other children, excessive fruit juice consumption has been associated with an increased caloric intake and obesity. Excess fruit juice consumption has been reported as a contributing factor in some children with nonorganic failure to thrive and in some children with decreased stature. Eleven percent of healthy preschoolers consumed > or = 12 fl oz/day of fruit juice, which is considered excessive. Thus, it is not surprising that some children, if given the opportunity, might consume more fruit juice than is considered optimal. Studies of newborn infants and preschool-aged children have demonstrated a preference for sweet-tasting foods and beverages. This is concerning as milk is the major source of calcium in the diet, and at present, only 50% of children, aged 1 through 5 years, meet the RDA for calcium. Concomitant with the increase in fruit juice consumption has been a decline in milk intake. Consumption of fruit juice helps fulfill the recommendation to eat more fruits and vegetables, with fruit juice accounting for 50% of all fruit servings consumed by children, aged 2 through 18 years, and 1/3 of all fruits and vegetables consumed by preschoolers. Fruit juice consumption by preschoolers has recently increased from 3.2 to about 5.5 fl oz/day. This relates to carbohydrate malabsorption, which varies by the type, concentration, and mixture of sugars present in different fruit juices. Non-specific chronic diarrhea or "toddler's" diarrhea has been associated with juice consumption, especially juices high in sorbitol and those with a high fructose to glucose ratio. Nursing bottle caries have long been recognized as a consequence of feeding juice in bottles, using the bottle as a pacifier, and prolonged bottle feeding. While fruit juice is a healthy, low-fat, nutritious beverage, there have been some health concerns regarding juice consumption.

Now, apple juice is the juice of choice for the under 5 age group.

Fifty years ago, orange juice was the major juice produced and it was consumed primarily to prevent scurvy. The pattern of fruit juice consumption has changed over time.
