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In 1996, there were 3 outbreaks of illness in North America associated with drinking unpasteurized (raw) apple juice. The juice was contaminated with bacteria called "E. coli 0157:H7". In all, 86 people got sick, and one child died.
More recently, in 1999, 19 people in British Columbia and Alberta became ill after drinking unpasteurized orange juice contaminated with Salmonella.
Since 1990, there have been at least 14 outbreaks of illness in North America linked to unpasteurized juices, including apple, orange, watermelon, carrot, and coconut juices.
Yes! E. coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella can make you very sick. For instance, some people get permanent kidney damage from E. coli 0157:H7 infections. Others have died.
Infants and young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems (people with HIV, or AIDS, or who are being treated for cancer) are most at risk. These people should drink pasteurized juice only.
Facilities such as schools, child and adult daycares, and hospitals should make sure the juices they serve are pasteurized. Children on field trips to farms or farm markets should not drink unpasteurized juice.
This bacteria is commonly found in cattle feces (poop). Most outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7 illness have been linked to food or water that has been contaminated with cattle feces. In the case of fruit juice, the fruit that the juice is made from can be contaminated with animal feces in several ways -- from lying on ground where cattle or other animals have been, from fertilizers made from animal wastes, or from being carried in a container that has been contaminated. E. coli 0157:H7 can also be spread by birds and humans.
The best way is to buy juice that has been pasteurized by the manufacturer. Most juices sold in stores are pasteurized.
The best way to kill E. coli 0157:H7 and other bacteria is by pasteurization. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says that people who are at greatest risk of serious illness (see above) should boil unpasteurized juice before drinking it. This is the safest way to protect yourself at home.
No! Most commercially processed juices are heated to about 85º C for about 16 seconds to destroy yeast and mould. These products are just as nutritious as if they were not heated. And, they taste good and last much longer than untreated juice.
No! Refrigeration does not destroy E. coli 0157:H7 or other bacteria. Refrigeration will slow the growth of germs, bacteria, yeast and mould in juices, but it will not make or keep unpasteurized juice safe.
Washing the fruit before you make juice will reduce the numbers of harmful germs and bacteria on the peel, but it will not remove them all. Using a mild soap and/or weak bleach solution (one teaspoon bleach to a litre of water) will help when you wash the fruit. Because it takes only a few of these organisms to make you sick (especially if you are at higher risk), washing alone cannot be relied upon to eliminate the risk of getting sick.
If you prepare juices at home, the following steps will help make the juice safe:
NOTE: Research shows that almost all E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria (99.99%) are killed by heating apple juice to at least 60º C (140º F) for 2 minutes. Less acidic juices (such as carrot or watermelon juice) or high pulp juices should be heated to a higher temperature (at least 70º C) for 2 minutes.
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