Not all apple cider is safe to drink. Here's how to tell

Apple cider is right there with pumpkin spice as the quintessential fall treat, but health experts recommend taking one quick step before you tip back a glass with your favorite foods.

Health departments have been issuing seasonal advisories based on guidelines from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration about avoiding unpasteurized juices, which can contain bacteria that cause food poisoning.

Bacteria from the fresh apples used to make cider can end up in your drink if the product is not pasteurized, meaning it has not been treated with heat or ultraviolet light to kill harmful pathogens.

Here's what to know to stay safe.

The dangers of unpasteurized juices

The FDA has received reports over the years related to unpasteurized cider and other fruit juices that have caused foodborne illness, generally referred to as food poisoning.

Untreated juices and cider can contain bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli and Cryptosporidium parasites, according to guidelines from the government of Canada, another country with plenty of apple orchards.

Children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems can be particularly susceptible to serious illness and even death from drinking unpasteurized cider.

Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headache and body aches, and they usually occur within one to three days of drinking the contaminated juice.

Are most apple ciders pasteurized?

The majority of the juice sold in the U.S. is pasteurized, so most of the products at your local grocery store are not a concern in that regard. Most juice made from concentrate, plus cider in cans, bottles and juice boxes sold on grocery shelves away from the refrigerated aisles are all usually pasteurized.

However, some health food stores, cider mills, farmers’ markets, and juice bars may sell juice they made on site that is unpasteurized, according to the FDA.

Untreated juice is usually sold in the refrigerated section of any market. However, freezing or refrigerating the unpasteurized juice does not remove potential bacteria — only the process of pasteurization does that, according to the Canadian guidelines.

How do I know if apple cider is unpasteurized?

Unpasteurized juices that are packaged and sold are required by the FDA to carry a warning label that reads as follows:

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. 

In addition to checking for the label, you should also heed the "best before" date on the packaging and discard it if it's expired.

However, there is another area to make sure to double check. Apple orchards, cider mills and farmers' markets that sell cider by the glass are not required by the FDA to have a warning label on it.

In that case, it's best to ask whether the cider is unpasteurized if you are unsure.

The FDA also has guidelines if you decide to make your own cider at home after a day of apple picking.

Make sure to wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds and cut away and damaged or bruised areas of the apples. Also make sure to wash all the apples thoroughly with running water and dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel to wipe off any residual bacteria.

And, pregnant people and young children should avoid drinking fresh-squeezed juices at ciders, per the FDA.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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