October, 2001
In our last issue, we briefly talked about
juicing safety. The subject
deserves a second look.
We mentioned that there have been outbreaks
of salmonella caused by apple juice not properly pasteurized.
However, juice from a juicer generally won't cause any food
poisoning, particularly since you can't make large amounts
of juice with a juicer. The more fruit or vegetables that
go into juice, the more likelihood that bacteria can sneak
in.
Just be sure to sterilize your juicer blades
in warm water after each use, and clean any fruit pulp from
the juicer.
Most juices from a juicer require you to drink
the juice within minutes of making the juice, since juice
is not as fresh after refrigerating. There is very little
time for bacteria to develop. And fresh juice tastes so
wonderful that you will want to drink it right away.
There are some health risks associated with
fruits and vegetables, particularly ones growing in soil.
The FDA Center for Food Study and Applied Nutrition has
the following recommendations for keeping your juice germ-free:
- Thoroughly rinse raw fruits and vegetables under running
water before eating them. Don't use soap, detergents,
or bleach solutions.
- If necessary, use a small vegetable brush to remove
surface dirt.
- Cut and discard damaged, bruised, or "brown"
areas, since bacteria can thrive in these places.
Safe Tables Our Priority (STOP-USA) recommends
lightly boiling the outside of the fruits and vegetables
to kill any surface bacteria.
Enjoy your juice in health and safety!
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