Using frozen or fresh berries for frozen cottage foods

Cottage Food producers may be interested in making frozen fruit-based treats, such as popsicles or sorbets, using juice from frozen or fresh berries. These frozen fruit-based foods are allowed for sale if the pH of the final product is 4.6 or below. Frozen fruit-based products are allowed for sale under the Cottage Foods Exemption Law if freezing is needed for product quality and not product safety. 

Frozen and fresh berries have been linked to cases of foodborne illness caused by Hepatitis A and Norovirus from both imported and domestic crops and products. Berries can become contaminated with these microorganisms at a variety of points along the supply chain. The berries can be contaminated by infected workers during harvesting, processing or transporting. Contaminated water sources or cross-contamination during processing can also make berries unsafe. 

Freezing fruit or fruit juice does not kill any pathogens that are present. Freezing stops the growth of microorganisms, but once the food is thawed the microorganisms will begin to grow again. Heating frozen or fresh berries and juice prior to making a frozen fruit-based product will kill microorganisms that can cause foodborne illness. 

How to use frozen or fresh berries

To minimize the risk of foodborne illness, a Cottage Food producer should follow these steps when using juice made from frozen or fresh berries to make a frozen fruit-based treat. 

1. Clean and sanitize the kitchen and workspace before beginning food preparation. Use good handwashing practices. 
2. Prepare the fruit juice from frozen or fresh berries. Depending on the fruit, an acidic ingredient may need to be added. 
3. Heat the fruit juice and any berry solids to an internal temperature of 185 degrees Fahrenheit or above for 1 minute. Stir the fruit juice mixture to ensure it is evenly heated. 
4. Rapidly cool the fruit juice mixture to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours, and then to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within an additional 4 hours. To cool the fruit juice mixture, divide into smaller quantities and chill in the refrigerator or freezer. Leave the container lid cracked to allow heat to escape. 
5. Once cooled to 41 degrees Fahrenheit, prepare the final frozen fruit-based product. 
6. Prevent bare-hand contact with frozen fruit-based products when preparing and packaging. 

If not following a tested recipe, check the pH of the fruit juice mixture to ensure the pH is 4.6 or below. The fruit juice mixture should be cooled and have had adequate time for the equilibrium pH to be reached, up to 24 hours.

About Hepatitis A and Norovirus 

Hepatitis A is a virus that causes short-term liver infection and has symptoms of diarrhea, dark urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, fever and headache. It may take up to four weeks after eating contaminated food for an individual to have symptoms. Symptoms can last from two weeks to three months. 

Norovirus is a virus that causes GI (gastrointestinal) distress including vomiting, abdominal cramping and diarrhea; fever, and headache. Symptoms typically begin 12 to 48 hours after eating contaminated food, and can last up to three days. 

Both of these viruses can cause foodborne illness as they easily contaminate foods if there is inadequate handwashing and safe food handling practices are not followed. Anyone diagnosed with either of these illnesses, or experiencing the symptoms, should avoid handling and preparing food until all the symptoms have been resolved or are cleared by a medical professional. If you or someone in your household has symptoms of foodborne illness, report it to the Minnesota Department of Health Foodborne or Waterborne Illness hotline.