What Happened to the Good Flow?

We've heard from several readers today that Good Flow Juice Co, Austin's fresh juice makers, may have encountered some FDA problems resulting in their shutdown—temporary or otherwise.

The issue, from what we can gather, is that their juices hadn't been pasteurized (the process of heating up a liquid to kill off bacteria and molds), a standard industry procedure that prevents the outbreak of nasty things like E. coli. Given a deadline by the FDA, it seems like they were unable to bring their juice-making site up to code, and, despite no outbreaks of contaminated product, have been ordered to stop production.

We've left a voicemail with the company in hopes of getting a clearer answer. In the meantime, McChris over at Terror in the Heartland has a firsthand account of enjoying some of the unsalable product.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Allen Y Chen in News on September 8, 2008 5:07 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Benj

Sorry: Should have been:

"...can make and sell unpasteurized juice on site..."

Benj

I can tell you: it has to do with transport.

Whole Foods and Central Markup can sell unpasteurized juice on site, but nobody can operate a business that distributes unpasteurized juices.

...To bad there weren't blogs sixty years ago. Then Gram and Gramps could have bitched about the travesty of not being able to buy unpasteurized milk!

owen_meany

I went to Whole Foods looking for a replacement juice (hopefully temporary as I love Goodflow!) and there I found quart-sized jugs of fresh, locally produced, UNpasteurized juice, packaged and labeled for storage (i.e. not single-servings to be immediately consumed)...made and sold by Whole Foods! They can do it but Goodflow can't? I smell something rotten.

Now I'm looking for a way to make my opinion known to the good folks at the FDA.

emster

This explains more

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/austin_juicery_meets_legal_battle_on_pasteurization

polyphasic

Yeah, I've seen that unpastuerized warning on other fresh juices, and I thought that was adequate. Sigh. Good Flow was the only juice I really loved.

thatwoman

Ew! On 2 separate occasions I got a bottle of honey lemonaide from Goodflow and it tasted like rotten lemons!

Oh well. I did like their lemon lime drink with ginger and echinacea though- never had a problem with that one.

Katie Spence

I saw a sign near the Good Flow juices at Central Market yesterday that they would no longer be carrying the juices due to "production issues." I still bought a bottle of honey lemonade but wondered what was up. And now I know! Thanks Allen. I hope this shut down doesn't last long.

emster

What about the government warning label on all the bottles? Is that no longer enough?

I was just at fresh plus and noticed the shelf was empty

Grape Ape

Are you f'ing kidding me!? I've been drinking Goodflow for years and years and never once have I ever questioned whether I'd get sick. Hopefully they haven't pulled it from the shelves - if so I'll have to enjoy my last half gallon of OJ.