What Happened to the Good Flow.

An article in today's Daily Texan confirms what many feared: Austin's own Good Flow Juice has been ordered to cease production of its bottled juices by the Food and Drug Administration.

According to company co-founder Judy Crofut, Good Flow had been operating under the assumption that pasteurization—the process of heating up a liquid to kill off bacteria and molds—wasn't necessary for its products since they were handmade and delivered to neighborhood grocers in less than a day. The company had previously operated as a "juice bar," like Daily Juice, with the approval of the FDA via an exemption. That exemption was later retracted in 2006.

Following protracted legal scuffles, Good Flow shut down its juicing facility last Friday, and all existing product has been taken off the shelves.

The good news, however, is that it will be back and, from what we understand, even bigger than before. The company is currently working on upgrading its production spaces to comply with FDA pasteurization requirements. Crofut even hinted that Good Flow might try to open up their facility as a retail outlet, meaning that even if you couldn't currently buy the product at Wheatsville or Whole Foods, you might be able to get it at the source.

(Thanks for the tip, emster)

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 9, 2008 1:03 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

kngo

I love Goodflow's unpasteurized juice too. Bastard FDA.

Placebo

I am student at UT Austin. Would like to make a documentary on pasteurized versus fresh juice. Would any of you be interested in being a part of it.

leggyblonde

makes me want an organic cigarette

Grape Ape

Now Mike, that's just not cool. Let's not start a battle like this. I can think of quite a few things that kill far more often than a glass of OJ and those items are considered perfectly fine for consumption even though they have a known danger and outcome in all cases.

mdahmus

BTW, I'd be happy to defend your right to sell dangerous juice if you slap a giant warning label on it with the picture of the kid who died. Deal?

mdahmus

dailyjuice, I'm sure that 16 month old baby who died from the Odwalla E-coli outbreak rests secure in heaven that her juice was 'fresh'. Maybe you could go convince the dozens of people who are still with us but have lifelong kidney problems that they're better off, too.

jose gomez

well, it would appear that the 16-month old baby really didnt have a choice in deciding to drink that- you would mean the Parents of that unfortunate child who are responsible. Plus they should have been aware of what they give their young child. (like raw honey or regular soy milk isnt good for babies). Bless that child.

dailyjuice

What a shame that the FDA has to barge into our lives and our communities and regulate away our fresh juices. The live enzymes in fresh juices and foods are important to our health. When we pasteurize, we kill. The reason pasteurized juices don't spoil is because they are dead. There is a world of difference between fresh and pasteurized. While there is an inherent risk in the consumption of living things, or anything for that matter, it is our personal risk that we as individuals make. It is a matter of civil liberties. Austin should stand together in support of civil liberties, fresh juice, and Goodflow!

Benj

BTW, I love the unpasteurized juices. In theory.

That being said, in the 1990's my girlfriend was a phlebotomist at Kaiser Hospital in Oakland when Odwalla was killing (and nearly killing) people with E. coli with juice made from apples they'd purchased from god knows where.

You might think unpasteurized is better juice, jaffie, but you you definitely don't want to experience the process that would change your mind.

Benj

You could always get it at the source. I have many times.

jaffie

This is sad. I hope everything works out. Just the other day I drank a bottle of Good Flow Orange Juice and remarked to a friend that "this is what Austin is all about. Simple, quality, and local." Damn FDA. Good Flow should keep selling unpasteurized juice out of a home location and at Farmer's Markets AND make a flash-pasteurized version for store shelves.