Aside of being trendy, juicing is also refreshing and healthful. Moreover, it is one of the easiest ways to get all the fruit and vegetable intake necessary into your diet. But before starting juicing, it is important to know your risks.
Pasteurized vs. Raw: Which one is best?
When fruits and vegetables are squeezed into juice, any bacteria that may be present on the outside or inside surface of the produce can become part of the final product. To destroy potentially harmful pathogens a further process is necessary. Otherwise, the juice could be dangerous for people at risk for food poisoning.
In Australia, most of the juices sold in grocery stores are pasteurized to ensure they safeness. However, freshly squeezed juice made on-site, for example at restaurants, juice bar or health food stores, are not required to be pasteurized. That is because most people have strong immune systems, which can handle small amounts of bacteria with no problem.
But still, the TGA recommends that high-risk individuals such as pregnant women, infants, young children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems, to drink only those juices that have been pasteurized or at least treated to kill harmful bacteria.
Can fresh squeezed juice be produced at home safely?
The answer to that question is, yes. But, some precautions will be necessary. First, you will need to get a quality juicer appliance to produce a quality and health juice. In that case a slow cold press juicer is your best alternative.
Slow cold press juicer appliances are designed to produced juices with more nutrients and enzymes, resulting a better tasting and healthier juice. In addition, they are designed to save you time in preparation, are quiet, easy to use and easy to clean.
Next, you will have to ensure that everything is clean. And that include the juicer, all produce, as well as knives, cutting boards, and glasses or cups. Even when not using produce peels, you should clean them anyway since bacteria present on the outside can contaminate the inside of the produce during the cutting and juicing process.
Here are few more tips to follow:
- Make reading the labels a habit: Products found on grocery stores that are unpasteurized should be refrigerated and feature the warning label: ‘WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and therefore may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems’. These labels will help you determine which juice to purchase.
- Be inquisitive: Since the TGA doesn’t require a warning label for freshly squeezed juice sold at farmers market, juice bars, restaurants, etc., you can ask if the juice has been treated to ensure safety.
- Be clean: Whenever producing your own juice, make sure cleanliness is present at all stages of juicing. That will allow to sip your juice safely and with confidence.
