Orange juice
A liquid extract of oranges, often consumed at breakfast.
Orange juice is a primarily liquid extract of the orange tree fruit, produced by squeezing or reaming oranges. It comes in several varieties, including blood orange, navel oranges, valencia orange, clementine, and tangerine, and may contain varying amounts of juice vesicles (pulp). The beverage is often abbreviated as OJ in American English. Commercial orange juice with a long shelf life is made by pasteurizing and removing oxygen, which removes much of the taste, necessitating the later addition of a flavor pack made from orange products. Some juice is further processed by drying and rehydrating, or by concentrating and later adding water.
- Field
- Beverage
- Known for
- Common breakfast beverage in the United States; official beverage of Florida since 1967
- Key varieties
- Blood orange, navel oranges, valencia orange, clementine, tangerine
- Major brands
- Tropicana Products, Minute Maid, Florida's Natural Growers
- Nutritional highlights
- High in vitamin C, also high in simple sugars comparable to soft drinks
Lore & Background
During World War II, the government and the Florida Department of Citrus worked with scientists to address citrus surpluses and storage challenges, leading to the development of frozen concentrated orange juice. The product was released three years after the war ended, and by 1949, Florida processing plants were producing over 10 million gallons of concentrated orange juice, which consumers found affordable, tasty, and convenient. In the 1980s, food scientists developed reconstituted ready-to-serve juice, and in the 1990s, 'not from concentrate' (NFC) orange juice was developed.
Reader's Guide
Orange juice has been a significant commercial product, particularly in Florida, where it was adopted as the official beverage in 1967. Its development was driven by military needs during World War II, leading to frozen concentrate, which dominated the market from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s before being surpassed by not-from-concentrate juices. The health value of orange juice is debated: it has high vitamin C but also high simple sugars, comparable to soft drinks, leading some government nutritional advice to encourage substitution with raw fruit. Commercial processing often involves pasteurization, oxygen removal, and addition of flavor packs to restore taste, with ethyl butyrate being a common component. Major brands include Tropicana, Minute Maid, and Florida's Natural Growers. The product has also become a soft commodity, with futures contracts traded since 1966.
Did You Know?
- Orange juice was adopted as the official beverage of Florida in 1967.
- Frozen concentrated orange juice was developed in 1948 at the University of Florida's Citrus Research and Education Center.
- A cup of fresh orange juice supplies approximately 138% of the Daily Value of vitamin C based on current FDA standards (90 mg DV).
- Commercial orange juice often has added flavor packs, which the FDA requires to be listed in the ingredients list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Orange juice?
Orange juice is a liquid extract pressed from orange tree fruit, most commonly recognized as a breakfast staple in the United States. It goes by the shorthand 'OJ' in American English and is one of the most widely consumed fruit beverages in the world.
What are Orange juice's powers/role?
Its primary strength is delivering a high dose of vitamin C, making it a go-to nutritional choice for morning routines. It also packs a simple-sugar content that rivals soft drinks, giving it a naturally sweet energy boost.
Why is Orange juice important?
It holds official beverage status in Florida, a title it has carried since 1967. Major brands like Tropicana, Minute Maid, and Florida's Natural Growers have built entire empires around it, cementing its cultural footprint.
What are Orange juice's key varieties?
The lineup includes blood orange, navel orange, valencia orange, clementine, and tangerine, each with its own flavor profile. The juice can also vary in pulp content, with some versions retaining more vesicles than others.
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