Picking Apples This Fall? What to Know About Farm Cider Before You Pour a Cup

Apple season is still going strong in Massachusetts. State agriculture officials list apple picking as running from August through November, and about 550 farms in the state grow apples on roughly 3,786 acres, according to a Sept. 17 release from the Healey-Driscoll administration that declared September Massachusetts Apple Month.

Before you head out, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources suggests calling the farm first. Crop availability changes from year to year with the weather, and hours vary. The state's online farm locator at massnrc.org has a separate map for pick-your-own apples that can be sorted by distance.

The cider question

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says most juice sold in the United States is pasteurized or otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria. Packaged juice that has not been treated must carry a warning label saying so.

There is an important exception for fall outings: juice or cider sold by the glass at orchards, farmers markets, roadside stands and juice bars is not required to have that label. Refrigerated cider at cider mills and some stores may also be untreated.

Who should be careful

FDA says untreated juice poses the greatest risk to:

• Children
• Older adults
• Pregnant women
• People with weakened immune systems, including transplant patients and people with cancer, diabetes or HIV

If you are not sure, ask the seller whether the cider has been pasteurized or treated. Illness from contaminated juice usually shows up within one to three days. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and flu-like symptoms.