Pasteurization
Due to E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks from unpasteurized apple cider and other outbreaks from contaminated fruit juices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed new regulations in 1998, and Canada followed suit in 2000.
The bulk of cider production and sale fell under the umbrella of proposed 1998 U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations applying to all fresh fruit and vegetable juices.
In 2001, the regulations were finalized, with the FDA issuing a rule requiring that virtually all juice producers follow Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) controls, using either heat pasteurization, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI), or other proven methods. One of the other poven methods is using irradiation,which reduces pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, all apple cider sold in the United States, other than sales directly to consumers by producers (such as juice bars, farmers’ markets, and roadside farmstands), must be produced using HACCP principles to achieve a "5 log" reduction in pathogens. While the use of UVGI treatment and other technologies meet legal requirements, heat pasteurization is the most commonly used method. However, pasteurization results in some change of the sweetness and flavor of the cider.
Read more about this topic: Apple Cider