What's In Your 'Fresh" Orange Juice?

I am completely blown away!  I have never thought about what is in my orange juice when the label says it is 'oranges'.  I should have know that there would be some kind of trickery to this item.  It just taste too good.  Even in the off season.

Thanks to Mavis, of One Hundred Dollars a Month, I now know the truth.  And so will you.

Here's what Mavis Butterfield had to say -  

Not From Concentrate Orange Juice.

You know the stuff, it’s in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. It calls itself orange juice, and usually comes in a boxed carton or gallon jug. And, I’ll admit, it usually tastes pretty darn good. The thing is, all fruits and veggies have “a season”–that magical time of year when they grow, blossom, bloom and taste amazing.

For Florida oranges, that is typically March through June. The rest of the year, companies like Tropicana, Simply Orange, and Florida’s Natural are going to great lengths to “process” orange juice so that it will last a LOOOONG time in holding tanks.

The crazy thing is that when you grab one of these cartons and read the ingredients you typically see oranges. But, in order to keep it fresh{ish} companies need to de-aerate the juice–essentially, strip it of its oxygen, so it will keep its color, flavor, texture, etc. In addition to de-aerating, the companies add back in “flavor packs” to enhance the deteriorating taste of the orange juice and to make sure it tastes consistent from carton to carton.

In the U.S. these flavor packs include ethyl butyrate–because it is derived from orange oil, it doesn’t need to be listed separately on the label, but the truth is, it makes the food a processed food, rather than a natural fresh from nature food.

I have to admit, I had NO IDEA that this stuff was processed. I guess this year, when Valencia oranges hit the market, I’ll grab ‘em up and juice ‘em myself. Then, when the season has passed, I’ll have to wait it out until next year. Maybe it will make real orange juice even sweeter?

~Mavis 

Mavis has lots more to say about what we should know about the foods we eat.  She has got to be the perfect combination of creative, energetic, ambitious, and just a little bit crazy.  Check her out and be amazed - simply click here.   

Need a little more Mavis?  Check out her bartering video.