Non-traditional juices are those fruit and/or vegetable juices that are minimally processed and might not be subjected to heat pasteurization, like traditional commercial juices.  Unpasteurized juices fall within this category and have a shorter shelf-life when compared to traditional juice products.  Unpasteurized juices are sold in juice bars or retail stores and are popular with consumers due to the belief that these products are healthier compared to traditional commercial juices.  Additionally, they are typically less acidic than traditional juice products and do not fall under Juice HACCP regulations requiring that producers demonstrate a five-log reduction of pertinent pathogenic bacteria. Consequently, these products lack the built-in protections that are provided for traditional juices. Considering the rapid growth in the number of juice bars and very small producers serving raw juices, the microbial safety of unpasteurized juices warrant serious attention. Recently documented outbreaks, involving unpasteurized juice contaminated with Hepatitis A virus, further substantiate the need for discussion of safety issues.  This symposium will bring together personnel from academia (United States and Canada) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to provide perspectives on the microbial safety of juices consumed raw, including regulatory implications, challenges in ensuring juice safety, and potential solutions.

Presentations