Q. How can I be sure that the apple juice I´m drinking is safe?
A. The apple juice industry is committed to producing premium, healthful, good−for−you products. Consumers can be assured that extensive steps are taken to ensure the safety of its juice products regardless of the source of the ingredients. All juice companies must comply with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations known as the juice HACCP, meaning Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.  The HACCP regulation requires juice companies to evaluate their processes, ingredients and packaging, and monitor for biological, physical and chemical risks that could possibly occur in food processing.  Juice processing facilities are inspected by federal and state agencies.  These requirements also extend to processors who export juice concentrate to the U.S.

Sampling and testing is also done by juice processors and third−party sources to validate the safety of the ingredients and the final product, both domestic and internationally. Apple juice is pasteurized, just like milk, to prevent contamination as required by regulations. If the juice is unpasteurized it must be declared on the product label.

Apple juice is a safe and nutritious beverage for people of all ages.  Consumers can be assured that apple juice processors are carefully testing their products for safety and data collected by the FDA indicate there is no safety concern for apple juice. 

Q. How do I know which apple juice products contain imported concentrate?
A. Consumers have a right to know where their food comes from. Country−of−origin labeling is required by law on juices made from imported concentrate. The identifying label gives consumers the ability to make informed decisions about the products they purchase. There are a variety of apple juice products in the marketplace, both made “from concentrate” and “not from concentrate.”

Q. Does juice concentrate produced in countries other than the U.S. pose a greater risk to consumers?
A. No.  Regardless of country of origin, all juice products sold in the U.S. must be safe and are subject to the HACCP requirements. In addition, the FDA and individual juice producers regularly monitor and test imported fruit juice to assure its safety.  

Q. Why does the U.S. import apple juice concentrate made in foreign countries?
A. Apple juice concentrate is imported into the U.S. for the purpose of making apple juice because most U.S. apples are grown for the fresh produce market or for applesauce rather than for juice processing. Apple juice concentrate has been safely imported into the U.S. from countries including China, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and a number of countries in the European Union for more than 30 years without any reported food safety incident.

Q. Are media reports about arsenic in apple juice true?
A. Recently publicized test results, announced on the Dr. Oz Show, wrongly indicated that there may be harmful levels of arsenic found in apple juice. Subsequent testing of the same lots of juice from two of the named brands on the show, using an appropriate method for testing arsenic levels in juice, found levels of arsenic all well under any FDA level of concern.

The test results reported by the Dr. Oz Show were based upon a method intended for testing water.   The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a specific method for testing fruit juice because juice contains many more naturally occurring compounds than water. In addition, comparing the trace levels of arsenic in apple juice to the regulatory guidelines for drinking water are not appropriate because regulatory agencies have set lower thresholds for drinking water than for food and other beverages because people consume larger amounts of water.  

Q. What do reports about arsenic in apple juice really mean?
A. Naturally occurring elements such as arsenic are present in the soil, air and water.  Therefore, arsenic is found in very low, harmless levels in many foods and beverages.  

Q. Is it true that some apple juice products contain more arsenic than drinking water?
A. Drinking water standards should not be used as the benchmark for testing for arsenic in foods and beverages.  Regulatory agencies have set lower thresholds for drinking water than for food and other beverages because people consume larger amounts of water.  Additionally, the FDA has established specific testing methodologies that should be used for testing juice.  These test methods are different than those for water because juice contains many more naturally occurring compounds.  

Q. What are the current FDA limits for arsenic in apple juice?
A. The FDA has established what it calls a “level of concern” at 23 parts per billion (ppb) for the presence of inorganic arsenic in apple juice. Two forms of arsenic -- organic and inorganic -- are found in trace levels in many foods and beverages that are derived from nature.  The FDA monitors levels of inorganic arsenic in apple juice because organic arsenic presents no toxicity.

Through its comprehensive Total Diet Study program, the Food and Drug Administration evaluates the levels of trace elements, nutrients and other substances in a wide variety of foods and beverages.  The purpose of the Study is to monitor levels of substances in the U.S. food supply and estimate their dietary intakes in the U.S. population.   Data related to arsenic in apple juice, as well as for many other foods, have been routinely collected for the Total Diet Study since 1991.  The most recent Total Diet Study data available, 2006 – 2008, shows the average arsenic content of bottled apple juice is 5 parts per billion (ppb), well below the FDA level of concern. 

Q. Is any amount of arsenic in food or drinks safe to consume?
A. Arsenic is not harmful in the trace amounts that it is found in naturally sourced foods and beverages.  Federal regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluate scientific data to determine levels that are safe in foods and beverages.  The data collected by the FDA indicate there is no safety concern for apple juice or juice concentrate.

Q. Do other juices contain arsenic?
A. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in the soil, water and air.  It can be present in trace amounts in many foods and beverages that are derived from natural sources.

Q. Do organic juices contain arsenic?
A. Both conventionally produced and organically produced fruit juices are safe and may contain trace levels of arsenic that are not harmful. 

Q. What exactly is arsenic?
A. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in our environment.  It is widely distributed within the earth’s crust, in rocks and metals, and also occurs in combination with other elements such as oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur.  It enters the environment through both natural and manmade sources.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the Juice Products Association.

(September, 2011)