Apple cider is one delicious way to reach the recommended five servings per day of fruits and vegetables. Whether you decide to make your own cider or buy some fresh made, be sure you’re drinking a safe product. Since November, 1998, all unprocessed packaged fruit and vegetable juices are required to have a warning label that states:

If you purchase or receive homemade cider or fruit juice, and you’re not sure if it was properly processed, no problem. Pasteurize it just as if you had made it yourself. Heat the apple cider or juice to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit for one minute.

Up to 40,000 cases of food-borne illnesses caused by fresh, unpasteurized juices are reported to the Food and Drug Administration each year. Don’t become a statistic. Enjoy that wonderful autumn taste treat of fresh juice or cider, but buy pasteurized products or do it yourself