Fruit Juice
A liquid product made from fruit of one or more fruit species that is meant for human consumption is called fruit juice, or more particularly, also fruit juice. 100% of the ingredient must be fruit. Fruit juice from concentrate and straight juice are distinguished from one another. The latter involves concentrating fruit juice in the country of origin and rediluting it in the country of destination.
Fruit juice is separated from fruit nectars and fruit juice drinks, to which additional ingredients may be added.
Definition
Fruit juice is the fermentable but unfermented product derived from the edible portion of sound and mature fruit of one or more varieties and having the color, aroma, and flavor typical thereof, according to Directive 2001/211/EC for the EU. Fruits were either fresh or cold-preserved. Fruit pulp could be included. Juice may contain aroma, pulp, and cells that were extracted through the proper physical processes from the same type of fruit. Juice cannot contain fragments or components of seeds, pits, or peel unless acceptable manufacturing practices cannot eliminate them. The fruit juice from citrus fruits, with the exception of limes, must come from the endocarp. Here, tomatoes are regarded as fruits.
Together with the German Food and Feed Code (LFGB), the Fruit Juice and Refreshment Drinks Ordinance (FrSaftErfrischGetrV) implements the Directive’s provisions for Germany in a legally enforceable manner. The German Foodstuffs Code’s supplemental findings on market perception state that the term “not fermented” in this fruit juice description should not be interpreted to imply that the juice is devoid of alcohol: As a result, juice is considered to be unfermented if it has less than 3 g of alcohol per liter, or 1% vol. in the case of grape juice.
Fruit juice, or what German food entrepreneurs commonly call to as “straight juice,” has a 100% fruit content. Fruit juice from fruit juice concentrate is reconstituted by adding drinking water, fruit pulp, fruit pulp, aromas, and/or cells from this type of fruit to the concentrate so that the fruit content is equal to 100% and the other chemical, physical, organoleptic, and nutritional characteristics also correspond to those of direct juice. In the case of grape juice, tartaric acid salts may also be added. The fruit juice is essentially re-diluted after being physically concentrated in the country of origin by the removal of water.
Fruit juice is categorized as a plant-based food by the German Nutrition Society (DGE). One of the five recommended daily portions of fruits and vegetables can be substituted with one glass of fruit juice (150 to 200 milliliters).
Labeling
All packaged foods must be labeled in accordance with the rules of the Food Information Ordinance. The sales description, manufacturer’s information, filling quantity, best-before date (BBD), ingredient list, nutrition statement, and lot number are all required pieces of information. Fruit kinds must be listed in descending order of the volume of the fruit juices utilized when two or more types of fruit were used to make the juice. Instructions for use or storage may be included with the box if appropriate.
On a voluntary basis, claims like “direct juice” or “100% fruit content” are made. The nutritional claim “no added sugar” holds true in the same way. The Fruit Juice and Soft Drinks Ordinance governs the special labeling of fruit juice. The word “fruit” must be changed to the name of the fruit type for items prepared from only one variety of fruit.
According to Austrian law, fruit from other countries can also be used to make fruit juice in Austria. This was also done following the 2016 crop disasters.
Production
Direct juice
Fruits that are ripe, clean, fresh, or preserved are used to make fruit juice. In particular citrus presses, citrus fruits are squeezed. Other fruits are processed in a mill to create a mush that is mechanically pressed. Juice yield can be increased and the release of juice from cells facilitated by certain enzymes.
The stems and stones are taken out of berry and stone fruit before pressing. Fruit juice that was previously naturally hazy and contained pulp is converted into clear fruit juice through centrifugation and filtration.
Mother juice, also known as straight juice from highly acidic fruits, is typically only consumed diluted and sweetened as needed. Since the ban on corrective sugaring, it may no longer be marketed as “fruit juice” if it is sweetened with sugar or other sweeteners and not just by other added sweet fruit juices, which must therefore be identified.
Fruit juice from concentrate
To prevent flavor from being lost during the juice’s subsequent evaporation, tastes are initially removed after juicing. Under a nearly vacuum, the water is removed. The concentration can be inexpensively and temporarily delivered. Water, the fruit’s natural scent, pulp, and cells, as needed, are added to the concentrate to make it into juice once more.
This approach not only gives producers independence from the harvest season but also reduces the cost of transportation. The juice is briefly pasteurized at 85 °C to preserve it.
Related beverages
Fruit juice drinks like fruit nectar and fruit juice are different from fruit juice since they are diluted with water and typically contain honey or sugar.
Fruit nectar
Some fruits can only be served as nectar because they naturally contain too much nectar or pulp to be offered as fruit juice. Depending on the type of fruit, the minimum amount of fruit juice or pulp required by regulation in Germany ranges from at least 25% (such as currant, banana, or mango) to 50% (such as elderberry, quince, or peach). Fruit nectar may include up to 20% of its weight in sugar or honey.
According to the criteria of the applicable fruit juice ordinance, fruit nectars also include fruit juice spritzers, which are concoctions of fruit juice or fruit juice concentrate and carbonated mineral water.
Fruit juice drink
Fruit juice-based beverages are not governed by the Fruit Juice Ordinance but are instead covered under the German Food Book’s Guidelines for Soft Drinks. Fruit content should range from at least 6% (citrus fruits) to 30%, depending on the type (for pome fruits or grapes). Minerals, vitamins, tastes, and other additions may be added in addition to water and sugar, with the exception of alcohol.
Ingredients and additives
All foods must list the components they utilized.
German juice producers rapidly competed with fruit drinks that were post-sugared by using this exemption rule after the EU directive’s basic version, which allowed corrective sugaring to treat a “sour taste,” was implemented in the member states. German juices often don’t include corrective sugar additives, thus they wanted to clearly indicate this to set themselves apart from other juices. As a result, the label “Ohne Zuckerzusatz” (“Without Added Sugar”) was created. This optional statement on the box guarantees that the juice contains no corrective sugar, sometimes known as added sugar. Following changes to the EU Fruit Juice Directive and consequently the German Fruit Juice Ordinance, this added sugar is no longer permissible as of October 31, 2013. No corrective sugaring is also necessary. As a result, the phrase “Without added sugar” was rendered unnecessary, but it is still used in marketing to give consumers the impression that other fruit juices have been forcibly sweetened.
There are numerous things that are not regarded as ingredients. These elements, sometimes known as processing aids, are sometimes utilized in the production of fruit juices even though they are not listed in the ingredient list. For instance, it is acceptable to utilize edible gelatin as well as additional ingredients including enzymes, tannins, flavors, and bentonite.
Additionally, all ingredients required to restore the juice to its former state do not need to be stated on the label for fruit juice manufactured from fruit juice concentrate.