Apple juice

Apple juice comes from pressing and macerating apples. The liquid can then go through enzymatic and centrifugal clarification to remove starch and pectin, followed by pasteurization for packaging in glass, metal, or aseptic containers, or it can be dehydrated into a concentrate.

Apple cider

Because the equipment for large-scale extraction and clarification is complex and costly, apple juice is usually produced commercially. In the United States, smaller operations in high-apple-production areas make unfiltered fresh apple juice, sold as unclarified apple cider. Globally, apple juice is one of the most common fruit juices, with top producers including China, Poland, the United States, and Germany.

Production

Apples for juice are typically harvested from September to mid-November in the Northern Hemisphere and from February to mid-April in the Southern Hemisphere. A common variety used is the McIntosh; about two medium McIntosh apples yield roughly 200 milliliters of juice. After picking, apples are washed and sent to a processing facility, where they are pressed and juiced immediately to prevent spoilage.

Depending on the company and final product, apples may be processed differently before pressing. The juice is then filtered, and the amount of remaining solids partly distinguishes apple juice from apple cider. When enzymatic treatment is used, pectinases are the typical enzymes.

Pasteurization

Because apple juice is acidic—usually with a pH of 3.4—it can be pasteurized at lower temperatures or for shorter times than many other juices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends these thermal processing times and temperatures to achieve a five-log reduction of Cryptosporidium parvum (which is more heat resistant than E. coli O157): 160 °F (71 °C) for at least 6 seconds, 165 °F (74 °C) for at least 2.8 seconds, 170 °F (77 °C) for at least 1.3 seconds, 175 °F (79 °C) for at least 0.6 second, and 180 °F (82 °C) for at least 0.3 second.

Unpasteurized juice and foodborne illnesses

From 2000 to 2010, over 1,700 cases of illness in North America were linked to drinking unpasteurized juice and ciders. The pathogens involved included parasites, bacteria, and viruses, most commonly E. coli O157 and O111, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Clostridium botulinum, and hepatitis A. Contamination can occur where fruit is grown, in contaminated containers, or from poor handling and washing.

Apple juice is 88% water and 11% carbohydrates (including 10% sugars), with negligible protein or fat. A 100-milliliter serving of unsweetened apple juice provides 46 calories and no significant micronutrients.

Fresh apple juice needs refrigeration. Sealed bottles or cans can be stored in a dark, cool place like a pantry to slow degradation, though appearance, texture, or taste may change over time. Once opened, or if the package was not sealed and shipped without refrigeration, it must be tightly resealed and refrigerated to prevent microbial contamination. The ideal storage temperature is between 0 °C (32 °F) and 4 °C (39 °F).

In the United States and parts of Canada, unfiltered and sometimes unpasteurized apple juice is commonly called "apple cider." Some makers of filtered, clarified juice—including carbonated versions—also label their product as "apple cider" to capitalize on the term. Legal distinctions are not universal and can be hard to apply.