Urgent health warning to anyone drinking apple cider this autumn

The warning about unpasteurised apple cider has been given by the Ogle County Health Department in the state of Illinois, US

An urgent health warning has been issued to to anyone drinking apple cider this autumn.

Because of it is a warm drink to quaff, people are drawn to it as the days and nights get colder. But a warning about unpasteurised apple cider has been given by the Ogle County Health Department in the state of Illinois, US. The government organisation warned on Facebook: "Apple Cider is a beverage made from fresh apples. It is typically a bit murky and golden-coloured because its unfiltered and unpasteurised. Most apple orchards don’t take the time to pasteurise because it is not required." If the drink has not been treated it can contain harmful bacteria leading to the consumer becoming sick. People most susceptible to being affected by unpasteurised apple cider include:

1. Infants and young children
2. Pregnant people
3. Older adults
4. People with weakened immune systems.

The Ogle County Health Department added "Protect vulnerable people who have an increased risk for food borne illness by checking labels for pasteurisation. It’s required to disclaim if the product has been heat treated or not." The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added: "The FDA has received in the past, reports of outbreaks of food borne illness, often called 'food poisoning,' that have been traced to drinking fruit and vegetable juice and cider that has not been treated to kill harmful bacteria.

"While most people’s immune systems can usually fight off the effects of food borne illness, children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems (such as transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or diabetes) risk serious illnesses or even death from drinking untreated juices."

Among the symptoms to look out for are illness happening in between one and three days. But sickness can also happen within 20 minutes or up to six weeks later. The FDA added: "Although most people will recover from a food borne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems.

"Food borne illness can sometimes be confused with other illnesses that have similar symptoms. The symptoms of food borne illness can include: "Vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache." The Mirror reported about a nutritionist called Gianna who said apple cider vinegar could help gut health. She said: "Drink warm water on an empty stomach. I do about 32oz (910ml). You're going to want to add some sort of electrolyte powder to that drink.

"You could also pink Himalayan salt and lemon juice, maybe some apple cider vinegar. Not only will the drink hydrate you and make you feel good, but it will also help restore your natural fluid balance and help your digestion just by getting things moving and releasing toxins." Moreover, she stressed that morning coffee should never be consumed on its own. It's not a call to ditch the caffeine fix, but rather a suggestion to pair it with a "well-balanced breakfast".