If you’re serving apple cider at Halloween or other autumn gatherings, please note that apple cider that is unpasteurized can contain bacteria that cause illness. Pasteurization kills these organisms while not changing the flavor of the cider.
Don’t assume that because the juice is served hot or was bottled it is safe to drink. If you are being served an unlabeled cup of apple cider at an orchard, or if the label of a bottle you’re purchasing is unclear about whether or not the product was pasteurized, ask the location owner or operator for details.
If you become sick after drinking food or drink, call the IowaSic hotline at 1-844-4692×742. Specialists at the Iowa Department of Public Health take food-borne illness complaints at this hotline and ask callers about illness, symptoms, onset and duration and complete a food history of all foods consumed for the past several days.
Young children and older adults as well as those with compromised immune systems may be particularly susceptible to food poisoning from unpasteurized cider. Please exercise caution, and enjoy the season.
