Family Food & Nutrition FN 230

Consumers' Research Magazine, Oct 96, Vol. 79 Issue 10, p9, 2/3p

YOU ASKED FOR IT

Q. I note that many food products are being sweetened with fruit juice concentrates. Are these similar to the fruit juice concentrates such as frozen orange juice concentrates?

A. No, they are not comparable. Retail products such as frozen orange juice concentrates simply have much of the water extracted. The fruit juice concentrates used as sweetening and flavoring agents undergo more processing.

About 75% of the water content of the juice is removed. Then, the juice is filtered by means of bentonite, gelatin, or charcoal. Then, the flavor, acidity, and color are removed by means of high vacuum combined with low temperature. The end product is termed "Reduced Flavor, Acid, and Color Concentrate" (R-FAC). This end product is a thick syrup, consisting of concentrated sugars, mainly glucose, fructose, and sucrose. The syrup is bland, and gives little indication of the fruit's original flavor.