Fruit Juices

Abstract

It is probable that fruit juices have been consumed in one form, or another, for many years. Until the 19th century, however, fermentation and consequent conversion to wine or cider was the only means of preservation. The commercial juice industry dates from 1869, when the Welch company of Vineland, New Jersey commenced bottling of unfermented grape juice. This introduced the principle of fruit juice preservation by pasteurization. The industry was slow to develop, although in the US a trend to expansion which commenced in the 1920s accelerated in the 1930s. The nutritional value of fruit juices, especially with respect to vitamin C, was recognized during the hungry years of the Great Depression and demand was further stimulated by technological developments, such as flash pasteurization, which greatly improved product quality. At this time, large scale consumption was largely a North American phenomenon and, in the case of orange juice, more than 75% of world production was concentrated in the US.