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. When fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed or used raw, bacteria from the produce can end up in your juice or cider.

Cran apple juice jugs