CHAPTER 2

DEFINING JUICES

2.1 Some definitions

Juice is defined in the most general sense as the extractable fluid contents of cells or tissues (Merriam-Webster, 1981). Although many fruit juices are the obvious result of expressing the liquid from the whole or cut fruit, there are some fruits where the distinction is not so apparent. For example, squeezing peeled mango flesh yields little juice, until the flesh is comminuted. Even then a thick puree is the end result. In contrast, comminuted apples yield a readily expressible juice. Adding water to mango puree would decrease consistency, but it is not considered juice. The fluid expressed from lemons, limes and excessively acid fruits is certainly juice, but the liquid is too sour to consume directly without dilution with sugar and water to produce lemonade or limeade.

Codex Alimentarius defines juice as "unfermented but fermentable juice, intended for direct consumption, obtained by the mechanical process from sound, ripe fruits, preserved exclusively by physical means. The juice may be turbid or clear. The juice may have been concentrated and later reconstituted with water suitable for the purpose of maintaining the essential composition and quality factors of the juice. The addition of sugars or acids can be permitted but must be endorsed in the individual standard." (FAO, 1992).

Table 2.1 lists some juice and juice-like terms and designations. Tradition and manufacturing procedures dictate the distinction between juice, puree and pulp. Juices may be prepared from nearly all fruits, if desired, but purees or pulp may serve commercial needs more economically. Banana is easily pureed, but more effort and expense is required to produce a clear juice from the pulp. Even a fruit as refractory as mamey zapote that yields very little free juice can be extracted with added water and then concentrated back to the starting fruit soluble solids level. Strategies for dealing with difficult or impossible-to-juice produce will be examined later.

It is absolutely necessary for someone starting a juice manufacturing operation to become familiar with the regulations and requirements of their market. For commercial purposes it is important to define the differences carefully and insure that specifications and labelling are correct. There are circumstances where a 100 percent juice or puree product is impractical while dilution with other juices and/or water and sweeteners are practical, as long as the products are correctly identified. Water, sugar, organic acids and low cost bulk juices are much cheaper than higher value fruit solids. Thus, unlabelled dilution and adulteration are common, unethical trade practices to be rigorously avoided and condemned.

Table 2.1: Some common juice designations.

Term Criteria Remarks Pure juice 100% All juice No adjustment, not from concentrate Fresh squeezed Not pasteurized Held refrigerated, Food safety concerns Chilled, ready to serve All juice Held refrigerated, made from concentrate or pasteurized juice Not from Concentrate Single strength Pasteurized after extraction From concentrate Made from concentrate Reconstituted and pasteurized Fresh frozen Unpasteurized Single strength, frozen after extraction Juice blend All juice A mixture of pure juices Puree Pulp-containing More viscous than juices, totally fruit Nectar Pulpy or clear Sugar, water and acid added, 25 to 50% juice* Nectar base Requires reconstitution Possesses sufficient flavour, acid and sugar to require water dilution for consumption* Juice drink Low in juice Contains 10 to 20% juice* Juice beverage Low in juice Contains 10 to 20% juice* Juice cocktail Low in juice Contains 10 to 20% juice* Fruit + ade Lemonade Contains >10% fruit juice, sugar and water* Juice extract Water extract Fruit extracted by water, then concentrated* Fruit punch Token juice ~ 1% juice, + natural flavours Natural flavoured Token juice Usually >1% juice

2.2 Juice criteria

For the purpose of this text, juice is the fluid expressed from plant material by crushing, comminuting and pressing. It can be clear, cloudy or pulpy. Juice is classified as puree, if the resulting consistency is fluid that pours very slowly, or pulp if it pours even more slowly. To complicate the matter further, juices that are concentrated for preservation, handling and storage and reconstituted for consumption (labelled "juice from concentrate") should be diluted back to approximately the same solids level (designated as ºBrix or percent soluble solids) of the initial juice. The amount of add-back water can vary substantially even within a given fruit, so reasonable commercial standards are set (FDA, 1999). Table 2.2 illustrates some juice solids standards.

Codex Alimentarius reconstitution levels are slightly different and in all cases lower Brix than FDA (FAO, 2000b). For example, single strength apple juice can be 10.2ºBrix, but reconstituted concentrate must attain 11.2ºBrix, unless the original juice was lower. In addition, Codex specifies the minimum juice and/or puree content for fruit nectars, between 25 and 50 percent, depending upon the given fruit.

Table 2.2: Reconstitution level for concentrates to qualify as juice.

Juice Brix Juice Brix Acerola 6.0 Kiwi 15.4 Apple 11.5 Lemon 4.5 Apricot 11.7 Lime 4.5 Banana 22.0 Loganberry 10.5 Blackberry 10.0 Mango 13.0 Blueberry 10.0 Nectarine 11.8 Boysenberry 10.0 Orange 11.8 Cantaloupe melon 9.6 Papaya 11.5 Carambola 7.8 Passion fruit 14.0 Carrot 8.0 Peach 10.5 Casaba melon 7.5 Pear 12.0 Cashew (Caju) 12.0 Pineapple 12.8 Celery 3.1 Plum 14.3 Cherry, dark, sweet 20.0 Pomegranate 16.0 Cherry, Red, Sour 14.0 Prune 18.5 Crabapple 15.4 Quince 13.3 Cranberry 7.5 Raspberry (Black) 11.1 Currant (Black) 11.0 Raspberry (Red) 9.2 Currant (Red) 10.5 Rhubarb 5.7 Date 18.5 Strawberry 8.0 Dewberry 10.0 Tangerine 11.8 Elderberry 11.0 Tomato 5.0 Fig 18.2 Watermelon 7.8 Gooseberry 8.3 Youngberry 10.0 Grape 16.0 Grapefruit 10.0 Guanabana (Soursop) 16.0 Guava 7.7 Honeydew melon 9.6

In the case of a juice not listed in Table 2.2: "If there is no Brix level specified (Section 1.3), the labelled percentage of that juice from concentrate in a juice or juice beverage will be calculated on the basis of the single-strength (as originally expressed) juice used to produce such concentrated juice." (FDA, 1999). Thus the original juice soluble solids or degree Brix defines reconstitution limits. This is not simply generic, since within a species Brix may vary over two-fold, i.e. depending on the species and cultivar, grape juice soluble solids at maturity can range from about 12 to 26ºBrix.

Clear or pulpy juices ameliorated with added sugar and water are termed "nectars" provided they contain a proscribed minimum of the juice. This minimum varies from country to country, ranging from 25 to 50 percent by weight. Juices or purees diluted down to 10 percent (or less) juice with added ingredients are termed "juice drink", "juice cocktail", or "juice punch". The logical rationale for defining juices and distinguishing among the diluted juice products is to guide consumers and avoid economic fraud. However, many consumers are not aware of the subtle distinctions in the classification (Table 2.1). Advertising, promotion, presentation and price, become more important than juice content. Retail price differentials between fresh, premium juice and juice simulates can vary ten-fold. The various juice concoctions now clearly state juice percentage on the label, as proscribed by law (Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1: Beverage labels specifying juice content.

Sometimes the common name for a juice varies contingent on culture. For example, Cider in the United States is usually understood to mean cloudy, unfermented, unpreserved apple juice. If the juice is processed or clarified, it is then called apple juice. Hard cider indicates the presence of alcohol by natural fermentation. Sweet cider also distinguishes non-fermented apple juice from hard cider. Other cloudy juices such as pear and grape are similarly designated pear cider (or perry) or grape cider and certainly contain no alcohol. However, in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, cider and perry are partially or fully fermented apple and pear juice. On the other hand, orange juice, also possessing a natural cloud, would in no instance be termed orange cider. Clarified, it is referred to by the unappetizing term, "orange serum". Tomato juice and derivatives are another example of diverse names for similar items (Table 16.1)