FAQ Juice HACCP

Today, we will touch on a very interesting topic which typically raises a lot of questions with customers when making a presentation to a company; we are talking about Juice HACCP and the most frequently asked questions on the subject. But why is this topic of such interest; what is so special about juice HACCP and why is it given so much attention? These and other questions will be addressed in this article and we hope you find it of interest.

Unpasteurized juices and ciders such as apple cider, orange juice, carrot juice and lemonade have been involved in many foodborne illness outbreaks, mainly due to the load of pathogenic bacteria contaminating the fruits when they arrive at the processing facility from the field. The most common pathogenic bacteria found were E.coli O157 and O111, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, and norovirus. A few other outbreaks were due to Vibrio cholerae, Clostridium botulinum, yeast and hepatitis A.

You may ask, if the bacteria is found on the outside peel of the fruit in lieu of the inside pulp / juice, what is the contamination concern?

When fruits and vegetables are processed raw or fresh-squeezed, bacteria from the outside skin or peels of the product may end up in your juice or cider. Unless the produce or the juice has been pasteurized or otherwise pretreated to destroy any harmful bacteria, the juice could easily become contaminated. This is where hazard analysis comes in, applying all of the applicable control measures to assure that the final product will be delivered to consumers, meeting the highest quality and food safety standards possible.

The juice hazard analysis is a process of determining which hazards could possibly be associated with a particular juice product to properly evaluate which hazards could likely occur, within reason and according to 21 CFR 120.8(a). You are required to produce, for each type of juice you process, a written hazard analysis to determine whether any food hazards exist and then identify the appropriate measures that should be applied to best control those hazards.

Below, we will go through some of the most frequently asked questions by a business involved in juice production.

• I only want to sell juice for retail, do I need a HACCP plan?

Retail producers of juices are not covered by the regulation and therefore would not be required to establish a HACCP system, regardless of whether or not they pasteurize their products. These kinds of establishments only provide juice directly to consumers, with its processes including storage, preparation, packaging, serving and selling. A retail establishment is considered one who only sells directly to consumers, never at a wholesale level to other business entities.

According to 21 CFR 120.1(a), all juice sold as juice or for use as an ingredient in other beverages is subject to the requirements of the juice HACCP regulation, with the exception of juice produced at a retail establishment.

• What does the FDA consider juice?

Following the definition established by the FDA in their guidelines, juice is defined as an aqueous liquid expressed or extracted from one or more fruits or vegetables, purees of the edible portions of one or more fruits or vegetables, or any concentrates of such liquid or puree.

If your finished product is not made from 100% juice, the juice would only be considered an ingredient of the final product.

• How do you pasteurize fruit juice correctly?

Pasteurization is a heat treatment, sufficient enough to destroy pathogens. Therefore, for a juice product to be labeled as "pasteurized", a juice must first be heat-treated to destroy pathogens. This heat treatment is applied to the juice, which is rapidly cooled afterwards and with the temperatures dependent on the type of juice and the process. The most commonly used time-temperature combination in juice production is about 185°F for approximately 16 seconds.

Juices are first blended in a surge tank designed for pasteurization and then pasteurized using a tube-in-shell type heat exchanger. Finally, the pasteurized juice is chilled and pumped into a jacketed surge tank.

• Is it safe to drink unpasteurized juice? How do I label it?

Most of the juice sold today in the United States is pasteurized (heat-treated) to kill harmful bacteria. In some applications, citrus juice processors may apply surface treatments of the fruit which help reduce any pathogens found on the skin or peels. Juice products may also be treated by processes other than heating to obtain the same result.

On the other hand, some grocery stores, farmer’s markets and juice bars sell packaged juice (direct to consumer) that has not been pasteurized or otherwise treated to ensure its safety. The FDA allows unpasteurized juice to be shipped in bulk if these products are kept under refrigeration and carry the following warning on their labels:

“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.”

As you may have figured out by now, having control measures in place when producing juice products can make all the difference as to whether you have a happy and healthy consumer or a sick and upset customer. This is exactly why we strongly recommend you implement your HACCP plan to maintain a successful relationship between your company, your customers and - most importantly - your consumers. If you don't know how to get started on your HACCP plan, remember that we are here for you at iQKitchen and we will be happy to help you.

Sarahi Lara, Food and Biotechnology Eng.

“Hazard Junior writer. I am in charge of elaborating HACCP plans for restaurants and government teams in the Hazard Analysis part. In addition, I have worked with other companies in the area of quality and food safety, supporting them in systems such as FSSC 22000 as well as the creation of HACCP plans and review of internal audits.”