Orange juice is a popular breakfast beverage made from the extraction (squeezing) of liquid from fresh oranges. The term "orange juice" is also used, both colloquially and commercially, to refer to "concentrated orange juice".

Some refrigerated fresh juice is sold to consumers. In the U.S., Canada and the U.K. it is labeled "not from concentrate". In the USA all commercial orange juice is pasteurized. "Freshly squeezed" juice is unpasteurised and has a shorter life than pasteurized juice, but is considered better quality. Refrigerated juice shipped in liquid form is traded between producers as direct juice.

Not from concentrate orange juice is typically more expensive, ranging from two to eight times the price of concentrate.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 Health 2 Commercial orange juice and concentrate 2.1 Frozen concentrated orange juice 2.2 Canned orange juice 2.3 Major orange juice brands 2.4 Additives 3 References 4 External links

Health

Orange juice is a source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), potassium, thiamine, Phosphorus G, folic acid (Vitamin B₉) and vitamin B₆. One 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice counts as almost 25 percent of the USDA-recommended daily fruit and vegetable servings, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Research shows orange juice is more nutrient dense than many commonly consumed 100 percent fruit juices, such as apple, grape, pineapple and prune.^[1] Knowing how to read labels is important to determine which juices are the most nutritious. To distinguish 100% orange juice from products that contain very little real fruit juice, compare the percent of pure juice, nutrients and ingredients. Look for "100% juice" on the label to avoid beverages that may contain added sugar and fewer nutrients than 100% orange juice.

Citrus juices also contain flavonoids that are believed to have beneficial health effects. If drunk on an empty stomach, orange juice can exacerbate present gastrointestinal conditions and/or cause mild and temporary stomach upset. Due to the citric acid, orange juice typically has a pH of 3.5.^[2] Drinking or sipping orange juice can therefore cause erosion of the tooth enamel, otherwise known as 'acid erosion'. It is recommended to use a straw so that the juice does not come into contact with the teeth.^[3]

Commercial orange juice and concentrate

Frozen concentrated orange juice

Freshly squeezed juice and filtered orange juice is pasteurized and is evaporated under vacuum and heat to remove most of the water before it is frozen. This process strips out certain essences and oils. The concentrated juice, about 65°Bx, is then stored at about +10°F (-12°C). At this point essences and oils, recovered during the vacuum concentration process, are added back to restore the flavor. To make cans of frozen concentrate for sale, filtered water is added back to bring the Brix level down to 42°Bx, about three times the concentration of fresh juice.

When water is added to freshly-thawed concentrated orange juice, it is reconstituted.^[4] Most of the orange juice sold today throughout the world is reconstituted juice. There is a huge difference in the volume of frozen concentrated orange juice and unprocessed juice and this makes a difference in the price the consumer is charged.

Orange juice containing pulp seems to be more nutritious than no-pulp varieties due to the flavonoids contained in the pulp.^[5]

The major commodity exchanges, including the New York Board of Trade and the Brazilian Mercantile and Futures Exchange, sell futures contracts and options on frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ).

Canned orange juice

A small fraction of fresh orange juice is canned. Canned orange juice does retain Vitamin C much better than bottled juice. However, the canned product loses flavor when stored at room temperature for over 12 weeks.^[6]

Major orange juice brands

In the US, the major orange juice brand is Tropicana Products (owned by PepsiCo Inc.), which possesses nearly 65% of the market share. Tropicana also has a large presence in Latin America, Europe and Central Asia. Competing products include Simply Orange (owned by the Minute Maid division of The Coca-Cola Company) and Florida's Natural (a Florida-based agricultural cooperative that differentiates itself from the competition by using only Florida grown oranges; Tropicana and Simply Orange use a mix of domestic and foreign stock).

Additives

Some producers add citric acid or ascorbic acid to juice beyond what is naturally found in the orange. Some also include other nutrients such as calcium and Vitamin D, not found naturally in oranges. Low-acid varieties of orange juice are also available. Omega-3 is sometimes added to orange juice from fish oils.^[7]

References

1. ^ Rampersaud, GC (2007). A comparison of nutrient density scores for 100% fruit juices. Journal of Food Science 72(4)261-266.
2. ^ "Acids". British Soft Drinks Association. http://www.britishsoftdrinks.com/htm/qa/AdditivesIngredients/acids/acids.htm. Retrieved 2006-09-12. 
3. ^ "Acid erosion and abrasion:Prevention". aciderosion.co.uk. http://www.aciderosion.co.uk/erosion/prevention.aspx. 
4. ^ To prevent off-flavor, distilled or reverse osmosis filtered water should be used when reconstituting frozen juice, devoid of minerals, chlorine, etc.
5. ^ "Is fruit juice as good as whole fruit". World's Healthiest Foods. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=74. Retrieved 2007-04-13. 
6. ^ Yiu H. Hu, József Barta Handbook of Fruits and Fruit Processing. Blackwell Publishing, 2006. p. 327.
7. ^ New York Times Article on Orange Juice Additives

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Orange juice

• Orange juice production Production process and distinction between juice products.
• Bottled Sunshine... A Juicy Story Brief film clip of orange juice processing from 1968. From the State Library & Archives of Florida.
• Natural orange juice processing Industrial processing of natural orange juice.
• Orange Juice Facts Learn more about one of America's healthiest morning beverages.