The overwhelming majority of Maine cider is safe, not to mention healthful and tasty. But the small chance of cider apples coming into contact with a dangerous pathogen means that consumers need to be informed about how the cider they buy was processed. It does not mean, however, that every small grower in the nation should be forced to purchase business-killing equipment to remove the bacteria.

Cider is often a secondary operation for apple growers who pulp less-than-perfect fruit for the traditional fall drink. Sometimes growers use “falls,” apples that have fallen from the tree and, while good to eat, no longer look as appetizing as those still connected to a branch. On rare occasions, falls come into contact with either livestock or deer feces, which may contain E. Coli 0157:H7. The pathogen can be deadly to people, especially the very young or old.

Standard pasteurization kills E. Coli, but, unfortunately, it also kills the flavor of cider. A process known as flash pasteurization, in which the cider is brought up short of boiling and then cooled very quickly, works as well as the standard procedure and saves the flavor. But the equipment needed to flash pasteurize costs from $50,000 to $80,000, well out of reach of small growers. Sharing the equipment is a possibility, but not a simple one because it requires growers to trust the quality and business practices of others.

For now, the FDA requires growers to state on their labels if the cider is not pasteurized, but come next September, apple cider must undergo a process for killing the micro-organisms. The rule could force countless small growers out of the cider business. Yet a little patience could let Maine and the rest of the country avoid that outcome.

First, the labeling system is a fair deal. It lets consumers make an educated choice about cider. People who know and trust a grower can buy unpasteurized cider with confidence; those who do not can buy the pasteurized variety. Second, emerging technology, especially the use of ultraviolet light, is proving to be as effective as pasteurization but at only one-fourth the cost. Third, as new technologies appear, the cost of flash pasteurization equipment should come down.

All of this points to the FDA delaying its September ’99 rule change. Without compromising safety, it can keep small growers in business long enough for the technology to become widely available and affordable. That will both protect consumers and apple growers.