Orange juice

Orange juice is a bright drink.

It comes from squeezing fruit. Some juice has tiny bits in it. These bits are called pulp.

Some juice is a dark red color. This comes from blood oranges. Many people drink it for breakfast. It has vitamin C to help you stay healthy. You can drink it fresh or from a can.

It is a tasty treat!

Orange juice is a bright and tasty drink.

It comes from squeezing fruit from an orange tree. You can find many kinds of oranges. Some are called Valencia or Navel oranges. Others are small, like clementines or tangerines. Some juice even looks pink or red. This comes from blood oranges.

Many people love juice at breakfast. It has a lot of vitamin C. This helps keep your body healthy. Some juice has tiny bits in it. We call these bits pulp.

Making juice can happen in different ways. Some juice is made into a concentrate. This means most of the water is taken out. It is easy to store and ship. You just add water back to it. Other juice is "not from concentrate." This means it stays closer to the fresh fruit. During World War II, scientists made frozen juice for soldiers. They wanted a drink that tasted good. By 1949, Florida made millions of gallons of it. Florida even made orange juice its official drink in 1967.

Orange juice is a bright, liquid drink made from fruit on an orange tree.

People squeeze or ream the fruit to get the juice. There are many different kinds of oranges to choose from. You might try a Navel or a Valencia orange. Some oranges, like the blood orange, have a reddish or pink color.

Others, like clementines or tangerines, are often used for sparkling drinks. Some people like to have tiny bits of fruit in their glass. In America, these bits are called pulp. In Britain, people call them juicy bits.

Making juice can happen in several different ways. One way is to make a concentrate. This means most of the water is removed so the juice is easier to ship. To use it, you just add a measured amount of water and stir. Another way is to make "not from concentrate" juice. This juice is pasteurized, which means it is heated to kill germs. Then, the oxygen is removed so it stays fresh for a long time. Sometimes, a "flavor pack" is added back to help it taste fresh again.

Orange juice has an interesting history involving soldiers and scientists. During World War II, American soldiers did not like a lemon-flavored powder. They needed vitamin C to prevent a sickness called scurvy. The government and the Florida Department of Citrus worked with scientists to find a better way. They developed frozen, concentrated orange juice. This was ready just three years after the war ended. By 1949, Florida plants made over 10 million gallons of this concentrate every year.

There are many facts about what is inside a cup of juice.

One cup of fresh juice has 112 calories. It is 88% water and has a lot of vitamin C. It also has potassium, thiamin, and folate. Because of citric acid, the juice is acidic. Its pH level is usually around 3.5. In the United States, orange juice is a very common breakfast drink. In 1967, Florida even made orange juice its official state beverage.

Today, many big companies sell orange juice all over the world. In the U.S., Tropicana is a very large brand. Other companies like Minute Maid and Florida's Natural also sell it. In the United Kingdom, people often buy Del Monte or Princes. Some juice is even made to be organic. Whether it is fresh-squeezed or from a can, people enjoy it for its taste and vitamins. It remains a favorite way to start the day for many families.

Orange juice is a liquid extract produced by squeezing or reaming fruit from the orange tree.

It serves as a major global beverage and a significant agricultural product. Various orange species and cultivars provide different flavors and colors. These include the blood orange, which is a mutant of the sweet orange with reddish or pinkish tones.

Other varieties include the navel, Valencia, clementine, and tangerine. Some juices contain juice vesicles, which are known as "pulp" in American English or "juicy bits" in British English. The amount and juiciness of these vesicles vary by species, variety, and season.

Manufacturing processes vary depending on the desired shelf life and flavor. One common method involves creating frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ). In this process, fresh juice is first tested for quality and cleaned. The juice is extracted and screened to remove seeds and large pulp pieces. It is then heated to between 190 and 200 °F to inactivate natural enzymes. A high vacuum evaporator is used to remove water, which concentrates the sugar and solids. This increases the soluble solid portion, or Brix content, from 12 °Brix to between 60 and 70 °Brix.

To restore the flavor lost during concentration, manufacturers use a "cut-back" method. They add a small amount of fresh juice, typically 7% to 10% of the total, back into the concentrate. They may also add specific cold-pressed orange oils to restore aroma. The concentrate is then cooled and canned using steam injection to create a vacuum. Another method is producing "not from concentrate" (NFC) juice. This juice is pasteurized but not evaporated. To extend shelf life, the oxygen is stripped from the juice while it is in aseptic storage. Because removing oxygen also removes flavor, a "flavor pack" is often added later.

Flavor packs are proprietary mixtures used to ensure a consistent taste. These packs often contain ethyl butyrate, a natural aroma associated with freshness. While fresh-squeezed juice naturally contains about 1.19 milligrams of ethyl butyrate per liter, commercially processed juice can contain as much as 8.53 milligrams per liter. These formulas vary by region to match local preferences for sweetness and acidity. Interestingly, the Food and Drug Administration does not require companies to list the specific contents of these flavor packs on packaging. Some producers may also add extra nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, or omega-3 fatty acids.

The history of orange juice is closely tied to military needs and scientific innovation. During World War II, American soldiers rejected vitamin C powder because it tasted unappetizing. The government needed a better way to prevent diseases like scurvy. They worked with the Florida Department of Citrus and scientists to improve upon 1940s canned juice. This collaboration led to the development of frozen concentrated orange juice. By 1949, Florida processing plants were producing over 10 million gallons of concentrate annually. By the 1980s, food scientists developed reconstituted ready-to-serve juice, and NFC juice arrived in the 1990s.

Nutritionists study orange juice for its complex chemical profile.

A single 250 mL cup of fresh juice is 88% water and provides 112 calories. It contains 26 grams of carbohydrates, including 21 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. It is a rich source of vitamin C, providing 149% of the Daily Value. It also contains moderate amounts of potassium, thiamin, and folate. However, because it is high in simple sugars, some government advice suggests eating raw fruit instead. The juice is also acidic, typically maintaining a pH of around 3.5.

Orange juice is a major component of the global economy and food markets. In the United States, Tropicana holds nearly 65% of the market share. Other notable brands include Minute Maid and Florida's Natural Growers. In the United Kingdom, Del Monte and Princes are major players. The industry is so significant that frozen concentrated orange juice is a "soft commodity." This means its value is tracked through futures contracts in New York, which have traded since 1966. In 1967, Florida even named orange juice as its official state beverage.