Orange juice…The bright and sweet drink that graces us with its presence at every breakfast and brunch. Whether it is Au Naturale or partnered with a bubbling buddy by way of the mimosa, orange juice is a quintessential part of our morning feasts, but how is orange juice made?
Considering that it is the most widely consumed juice on the planet, you might want to know the answer! Let’s take a look!
The Oranges
Florida is one of the leading producers of orange juice in the world. The Valencia orange is one of the most popular oranges for juicing. The oranges are picked during peak season and sorted accordingly for processing.
Only prime oranges will make the cut for juicing to avoid and bitterness or undesired flavors in the final product. This process is usually done by hand.
Cleaning
Once the oranges go through the sorting process, they will need to go through a cleaning process. Cleaning generally includes soaking the oranges in clean water and then spraying them with a cleansing spray.
Following the spray, the oranges get a spray with water again. In some situations, steam is used to sanitize the outside of the orange and extract oil from the peel. After the cleaning process has removed all of the oranges’ impurities, they will then be moved on for further processing.
Extraction
So, how is orange juice processed? The orange juice production process begins with extraction.
The extraction process begins with the extraction of the orange oil from the peel during peel removal. Many juicers will save the oil and blend it back into the juice before bottling the finished product.
Once the peel is gone, the juicing process will begin. Special juicing equipment helps to ensure that no seeds or pith gets into the juice. After the orange no longer has any juice, the juice is then filtered to remove excess pulp.
Safety
Before the finished products hit the juice bottling line some safety measures are taken. The juice gets flashed pasteurized first. This is a step that involves heating the juice quickly to lock in nutritional value and flavor.
Because orange juice has a season, and growers like to harvest at the peak for optimal flavor, orange juice can be stored in pressure treated vats that maintain temperature and stability of the product.
This process allows consumers to enjoy orange juice year-round without compromising the quality of the product.
Now You Know: How Is Orange Juice Made
Now that you know the answer to your question, how is orange juice made you are probably craving a glass right now! The steps are far more complex than picking oranges and squeezing their juice. With that being said, if you have got the fresh citrus in your home state, go ahead and squeeze some fresh for yourself!
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